Is a good live-action adaptation one that reproduces the original to the letter, or one that dares to think outside the box? The answer to this question is far from obvious. Disney may be one of the studios constantly renewing the experience, but the perfect recipe still seems out of reach. After Snow White last March, it's the turn of the remake of Lilo & Stitch to invade movie theaters.
And if this second live-action production is already a hit – with $341 million at the box office in just a few days, on a budget of $100 million – it's the popularity of the original feature film that should be given the credit. Because while we enjoy rediscovering the Pelekai family and the beauty of the Hawaiian archipelago from a new and rather pleasant angle, there are still some changes that stick in the craw. Whether they are good or bad ideas for you, here are all the surprising changes in the live action Lilo & Stitch.
Pleakley and the dresses: it's over
First misstep in this new version: the aliens no longer have the right to dress as they wish. Agent Pleakley is undoubtedly the least reliable Earth specialist in the galaxy, but at least he had the merit of being at least... avant-garde when it comes to fashion. Unfortunately, synthetic dresses and wigs are probably no longer authorized by the Galactic Council.
The rationale behind this choice? Disney preferred to hide Pleakley and Jumba behind human holograms for a less cartoonish Earth infiltration. An artistic choice that we won't dispute given the appearance of the two aliens in computer-generated images. But how sad to see the intergalactic drag queen of our childhood transformed into a tourist with increasingly questionable outfits. However, director Dean Fleischer Camp tried to preserve this aspect of the character, as evidenced by des concept art that he shared himself. It's hard not to associate this change with a fear of "wokism" when no one criticized this alien fashion victim in 2003.
But where is Gantu?
Well, not there. And probably for the same reasons that led to the humanization of Pleakly and Jumba. CGI aliens are more creepy than funny, and this live-action film started its journey as a Disney+ project with a more limited budget. So, why bother modeling a giant antagonist when you can turn an existing character into a big baddie? As a result, Jumba's character loses all the story development that made him charming, and Lilo finds herself without an alien uncle.
If so many changes are going to be made, wouldn't it have been wiser to introduce the character of Dr. Hamsterviel, the evil rodent from Stitch! The Movie and the subsequent animated series? The little creature could have been more easily integrated, and his motivations are identical to those of the new Jumba: to use his creations to overthrow the Intergalactic Councilwoman and rule the universe. Too bad.
More characters but less depth
The live-action Lilo & Stitch introduces us to two important new faces. First, Tūtū isn't just Lilo and Nani's funny neighbor, as she also raises the famous David, on whom Nani has a crush. Unfortunately, her presence (while refreshing) almost completely overshadows David's presence.
The same observation applies to the new social worker, Madame Kekoa, a character created to provide a role for the original interpreter of Nani, Tia Carrere. In fact, Cobra Bubbles is more of a supporting character in this version: here's another good element replaced by another.
Disney magic can't do anything against social services
Because Ohana stops where the laws begin. The film's teams took the definition of "live action" a little too seriously, to the point of permanently losing Nani custody of Lilo. Because yes, even if your goals could not be achieved due to an alien invasion: child protection is no exception.
The poor sisters find themselves separated, but there's no problem respecting the saying of Ohana. So that no one is abandoned or forgotten, Disney had the idea of integrating a portal gun that allows Lilo and Nani to find each other. Practical since this version of the older sister leaves Hawaii to continue her studies on the other side of the United States. Suffice to say that the original family moral is narrowly saved.
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