Film Review #38: Lilo and Stitch

Disney was in dire need of a hit.  Not just a hit.  A big hit.  One that could perhaps bring back the lost generation of kids and bring back an interest in Disney Animation, which had been receding since the mid 1990's.  The result was the most well crafted film of the 2000's.  Lilo and Stitch brought back fans and receipts to Disney and gave the studio a little extra jolt of interest that it would ultimately shit on for the next six years.  But until then, this film was a delight to watch and listen to.  If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend it.  It's a sheer delight.

Plot: Deep in outer space, Dr Jumba Jukiba is placed on trial for illegal experimentation and creating different species based on world domination.  One of them, Experiment 626, is captured and sent to an asteroid to be banished.  But it escapes and takes a rocket ship to Earth and crash lands in Hawaii.  There, he is mistaken for a dog and adopted by a little oddball of a girl named Lilo and given the name Stitch.  While Lilo tries to teach the alien about kindness and obedience, the little blue alien tries to wreak havoc on this new world.  All the while Jumba and his sidekick Pleakley try to capture Stitch to secure Jumba's freedom.

What's Bad?: There really isn't much to say in terms of this film.  There is no serious flaws or misguidings in the film, at least from what I could detect.  But while this fact remains, there really isn't much that stands out.  It's a good film and a charming film, but nothing seriously groundbreaking.

What's Good?: The film has good things about it, like the two sisters Lilo and Nani, who really do love and care for each other.  One would expect Disney to utilize an evil stepmother or something that oppresses Lilo's imagination, but this is a relatable and believable scenario.

The Sci-Fi stuff is pretty funny.  The guns in the movie shoot plasma like goo balls instead of the Star Wars lasers I was used to.

And while few of the songs are original, the songs they chose for the film work really well.

Overall: The film is a delight to watch.  The characters are engaging and funny and the story flows well without any major glaring flaws.  Make sure you see this one guys, its a classic.

Report Card

Hero:                                 86
Heroine:                            94
Villain:                              85
Side Characters:              93
Songs:                               85
Musical Score:                 87
Animation:                        93
Special Effects:                 92
Themes:                            91
Story:                                89

Final Grade:                     90