The animated Disney classic “Lilo & Stitch” has gained significant popularity since its release in 2002, becoming a fan favorite among movie lovers. The movie is set in Hawaii, following a little girl, Lilo, and her destructive alien “dog”, Stitch, a failed alien experiment that crash-lands on Earth. The Hawaiian concept of “ohana,” or family, is showcased through the friendship and bond the two formed throughout the film. As the story progresses, it touches on other themes such as loss and belonging. For many, “Lilo & Stitch” stood as one of Disney’s most original creations.

Fast forward to May 23, 2025, Disney releases their live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” in theatres, adding to the list of many unnecessary remade classics. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, the film stars debuting actress Maia Kealoha as Lilo and Chris Sanders as the returning voice of Stitch. The remake, while keeping true to its original themes, has made minor changes to the plot, sparking heated controversy among longtime fans on social media.

The biggest upset about this movie is the poor writing and the change of the message that the original tried to convey to their audience. In the remake, Nani, played by Sydney Agudong, leaves home to pursue her dream of becoming a marine biologist, shocking fans who argue that this was never the point of the movie. The central theme of the film is the concept of ohana. It continuously brought up in the original and the live-action film that ohana means sticking together no matter what. In the original, Nani never left Lilo to go to college. Many viewers feel that this new ending is disconnected from the heartfelt end of the original, where Stitch, Lilo, and Nani live happily together as a big family. A more detailed hidden motif is that Stitch’s name holds a purpose. He is the “stitch” that holds the broken family together, bringing it into wholeness. Viewers feel this is a very important detail that the writers had left out.

Despite the many negative opinions on the plot changes, one of the notable strengths of the movie is the performances of the actors. Kealoha gave an outstanding performance as Lilo, along with Augudong, who brought emotion to her role as Nani, Lilo’s sister. Their bond as sisters feels real throughout the challenges they face throughout the entire movie. The challenges they face, such as grief and financial stress, are portrayed with maturity and subtlety. In other words, their reactions aren’t exaggerated for the sake of the film. Instead, it’s more realistic. However, even strong acting can’t fix the story that drifts from what worked well with the original.

There has been much fan backlash following the release of the film, with people expressing their feelings about how they didn’t like the film for its plot changes, and many saying that they rewatched the 2002 movie instead of finishing the remake. Critics and audiences often find themselves asking the creators of the live-action: “Why remake something that never needed to be fixed?”