I wanted to review this film for a long time. Originally wanted to review it part of my Disney reviews back in 2013.

 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ was released in 2002 to critical success (the best reviewed film since ‘The Emperor’s New Groove’) and a massive financial success, after a string of disappointing box office films (the best financial success since ‘Tarzan’).

 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ wasn’t a one-time success, it became a franchise. Spawning 3 direct-to-video sequels, ‘Stitch: The Movie’ (a backdoor pilot for the eventual TV series), ‘Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch’ and ‘Leroy & Stitch’, and two television programs, ‘Lilo & Stitch: The Series’ and the anime program ‘Stitch!’.

 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ tells the story of a small family of two sisters, who don’t always see eye to eye, as they decide to get a dog after a supposedly falling star. Lilo buys a new dog and names it Stitch, but Stitch isn’t a dog and uses that as a cover from being captured from two aliens, one an agent named Pleakley and the other an evil scientist named Jumba, to capture Stitch as he doesn’t belong on Earth.

 

The story behind the movie is solid, perfectly blending the sci-fi elements with the emotional story about a falling family that offers a deep emotional core to the film of Nani trying to become a mother figure to her sister Lilo, who misses her parents after a tragic event.

 

The film is filled with beautiful animation, even the backdrops look amazing, filled with vibrant painted watercolours which makes the world feel more inviting and different from animated films at the time as most films used CAPS as backdrops like ‘Tarzan’.

 

The music is one of the film’s biggest strengths, with amazing scores and many Elvis Presley classics like “Burning Love” and “Hound Dog”.

 

‘Lilo & Stitch’ is one of Disney’s most surprisingly different films, successfully meshing a story about family with a cool sci-fi action story, which it is charming and entertaining from start to finish with endless laughs and an emotional core of the film about the two sisters relationship which can be relatable to many fans.

 

I have no faults with this movie as it is one of my all-time favourites from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

 

“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind… or forgotten”.

 

Score: 10/10