Are there any film series that catch more flak than Disney’s live-action remakes? There’s a vocal swath of critics who talk about the Dumbo and The Lion King reimaginings like they’re crimes against humanity. They decry remakes as creatively bankrupt while finger-wagging at Disney for greenlighting rehashes instead of original concepts.

I often watch these films in morning press screenings with a handful of other critics, and we crowd around multiplex lobbies afterwards, debating what worked and what didn’t. I return a week later (purchasing tickets for my wife and me), to experience the film with eager moviegoers on opening weekend. As the crowd spills into the lobby, I’m privy to wildly different conversations.

While children leave the theatre grinning ear-to-ear, it’s often the adults who have the strongest reactions. Time and again, people tell me Aladdin or The Little Mermaid moved them to tears. For a generation raised on these classics, seeing characters they grew up with brought to life rekindles a long-lost feeling of childhood wonder.

So the question here is, who’s out of line? The critic intent on holding cinema to a higher standard, or the Disney diehard who’s predisposed to love these titles no matter what? I ask myself these questions every time the House of Mouse rolls out another reimagining — but never more than after watching director Dean Fleischer Camp’s Lilo & Stitch. His live-action retelling of Disney’s beloved animated film doesn’t come close to reaching the lofty heights of its predecessor, while still hitting all the right beats to send moviegoers home on an emotional high.

Despite having a kind heart, Lilo (Maia Kealoha) struggles to fit in. The local kids bully her because they think she’s weird. And Lilo’s spunky attitude makes her too much of a handful for most adults. Her older sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) is at her wit’s end, struggling to look after Lilo ever since their parents died. Nani should be focused on heading off to college, instead, she’s devoted to providing a stable home for her baby sis so their social worker Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere) doesn’t separate them.

Their lives change forever when an alien weapon, code-named experiment 626, aka Stitch (voiced by Chris Sanders), crashes on Earth. Though he’s a genetically engineered superweapon, Stitch is more of a cuddly blue rascal. Lilo discovers Stitch at an animal shelter, and after mistaking him for a dog, takes him home. In Stitch, she finds the friend she’s always wanted. And in Lilo, Stitch encounters love and kindness for the first time. 

Standing in the way of their budding friendship are Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen), two aliens sent to hunt down Experiment 626 and bring him back to the Galactic Federation. Lilo and Stitch must outwit alien hunters, a well-meaning social worker, and even the CIA in a desperate attempt to hold onto each other.

Camp’s last film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On wasn’t just one of 2022’s best animated films, it was one of the year’s best films, period. The movie works like Gangbusters by taking the whimsy and wonder of classic Pixar films and applying it to a story taking place in the real world. Marcel may be an adorable little stop-motion character, but the film treats him like a regular person. Camp tells an extraordinary tale in a grounded manner — imagine Finding Nemo told in the style of The Office. While this approach sounds like a recipe for disaster, it makes for an earnest drama and a profound meditation on the meaning of life.

Unfortunately, Camp struggles to strike that delightful balance this time out. Lilo & Stitch’s main flaw is that it exists in an awkward tonal netherworld between animation and live-action. It borrows elements from both styles but often executes them in unsatisfying ways. The film feels like a live-action cartoon, relying on animation’s pacing and chaotic energy while lacking the depth and character development crucial to telling live-action stories. 

Lilo and Stitch constantly find themselves wrapped up in slapstick hijinks, just like in the original movie. But animated storytelling relies on a shorthand that doesn’t translate to the real world. The problem here is how the film cuts corners by not giving the characters and their world enough room to breathe. It panders to the viewers’ nostalgia instead of slowing down for moments of meaningful character development. 

Amy Hill, Billy Magnussen, Courtney B. Vance, and Tia Carrere each deliver charming performances while being underserved by Mike Van Waes and Chris Kekaniokalani Bright’s script. When it comes to live-action, you have to let real-life actors cook if you want them to serve up an emotional feast. And Lilo & Stitch’s cast doesn’t receive enough time in the kitchen. 

But here’s the thing: I still enjoyed this film. It’s silly, sweet, and sincere. It tells an earnest story about outsiders, second chances, and the ways we find strength in each other. For all its missteps, Lilo & Stitch manages to stick the landing. The film’s final act delivers a string of poignant emotional beats perfectly tuned to send moviegoers home with glowing hearts and misty eyes.

At no point did I feel like I was watching the best version of a live-action Lilo & Stitch film. But hey, missing the bullseye isn’t the same as missing the mark altogether. This film lands close enough to remind us why this story still resonates. And I’ll always have time for Disney remakes and sequels from people like Camp, Niki Caro, and Barry Jenkins — directors who don’t hesitate to step up to the line and take their shots.

Lilo & Stitch opens exclusively in theatres May 23.