From anticipation to disappointment, live-action Lilo and Stitch ruined my childhood memories

Although Lilo & Stitch is more faithful to the original Disney animated series than other live-action adaptations, it still omits some crucial plot points. In my opinion, it’s better to stick to the original version when making a live-action adaptation of an animation or a novel. The original Lilo & Stitch is a classic, not only because it saved Disney but also because it was nominated for an Oscar and an Annie Award. These honours were not bestowed without merit. The original work features very three-dimensional character development and natural emotions. However, the live-action version adds unnecessary elements and alters the most important conflicts and plot twists, making the psychological activities and motivation changes of several characters very stiff. It’s really uncomfortable to watch. Now, after watching it, I find that the most faithful parts were all in the trailer.

First of all, the character breakdown is comparable to a “genetic mutation”. Perhaps due to budget constraints, Pleakley and Dr. Jumba are mostly shown in human form throughout the film. Captain Gantu doesn’t even have a single minute of screen time, and all his scenes are taken over by Dr. Jumba. This has led to a significant deviation from the original version of Dr. Jumba and the complete disappearance of Captain Gantu. Dr. Jumba, who was originally a complex character with both good and evil traits, caring for his family despite his outwardly evil appearance, has been reduced to a stereotypical villain in the live-action film. In the animated movie, when Dr. Jumba saw Lilo being captured by Captain Gantu‘s spaceship, he abandoned his plan to capture Stitch and personally flew a spaceship to help Stitch rescue Lilo. However, in the live-action film, the spaceship became a prison for Stitch, and a bunch of nonsensical “evil plans” were added, even blowing up Lilo’s home. These changes to the characters have completely ruined my childhood memories.

The plot has been reduced to an epic extent: the original touching core of “bad kids redeeming each other” has been transformed into a “diary of an alien kid being cute”. The most tear-jerking scene, where Stitch says “I’m lost” while watching the ugly duckling, has been deleted; the scene where Stitch imitates the Lilo family playing on the beach and builds a sandcastle himself is a key moment for his emotional transformation in the original, but its deletion makes the family relationship seem abrupt… Stitch’s sudden change from a troublemaker to a good boy is without any build-up, as if he just “awakens” after being glared at by Lilo. The most outrageous part is that the original highlight – the tear-jerking scene where Lilo pulls out the adoption certificate to save the day – has been completely deleted, completely losing the “Ohana” spirit that the movie intended to convey.

“Did Disney forget that Ohana means NO ONE gets left behind? There are so many changes to this film that ruin the great aspects of the original. ”according to r/CharacterRant

Compared with the live-action version of “Lilo & Stitch”, the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” is almost a faithful adaptation of the first animated film, basically transplanting the animation directly into the real world. Although the film lacks breakthroughs and surprises, it at least retains the core and spirit of the original work. 

The live-action version of “Lilo & Stitch” retains Stitch’s cuteness and humour, but weakens his rebellious and growth aspects, and cuts some classic scenes, making the tender parts seem stiff. If you want to watch a family-friendly movie, it is still a good choice; while the original version combines humor and emotional depth, Stitch is both naughty and adorable, and his character growth is natural, making the themes of family and friendship more touching.