One of Disney’s Greatest Animated Movies Is More Profound Than Ever
More than two decades later, Lilo & Stitch is still a roller coaster ride of emotions.
Few marketing campaigns are more memorable than the one for Disney’s 2002 animated classic Lilo & Stitch. Who could forget the iconic poster with beloved blue alien Stitch smack-dab in the middle, surrounded by disturbed Disney characters, including Dopey, Pinocchio, Tinkerbell, and Pumbaa? Then there were the teaser trailers where Stitch wreaked havoc on various Disney classics — he took Jasmine away from her magic carpet ride, ruined Ariel’s big reprise, crash-landed on Belle and the Beast, and took Simba’s place in the circle of life.
The setup was very clear: Lilo & Stitch was going to be a very different experience for Disney fans.
How Was Lilo & Stitch Initially Received Upon Release?
After the Disney Renaissance of the ‘90s, Disney found themselves in an era of sweeping changes and experimentation. The emergence of animation studios like DreamWorks and Pixar meant that Disney was no longer the undisputed champions of the medium. This led to Disney branching away from the big, broadway style musical films of the ‘90s and into genre, like 2001’s adventure movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire. 2002’s Lilo & Stitch was another leap into genre, and Disney’s first sci-fi movie in the animated canon. And with the film’s upcoming re-release — the first in glorious 4K — there’s no better time to revisit this unique and special classic.
Experiment 626 is set to be exiled from the United Galactic Federation. But he breaks out, hijacks a space cruiser, and finds himself on Earth; specifically, the island of Kaua’i in Hawaii. Luckily for Experiment 626, he’s adorable. He’s small and blue, with a big round nose and large ears. When young Lilo and her adult sister Nani go to the animal shelter and find him there, and Lilo falls completely in love. She names him Stitch.
Lilo & Stitch isn’t pure science-fiction. Beneath the outlandish story of an alien masquerading as a dog, and a galaxy-wide mission to capture him, is a very intimate study of a family trying to stay afloat in the wake of tragedy. Lilo and Nani lost their parents in an accident, and now all they have is each other. Lilo & Stitch is far from the first Disney movie to deal with the loss of a parent, but it is the first human story to do so in such an honest, realistic manner. We see Lilo unable to make friends, and Nani struggle to keep to house in check, trying to find a job — something Stitch keeps inadvertently thwarting while escaping a pair of aliens who have come to Earth to capture him.
Why Is Lilo & Stitch Important to See Now?
We haven’t had a family film like Lilo & Stitch since its release.
Lilo & Stitch doesn’t just explore loneliness on a cursory level; it sits in it and breathes it in. One of the most heartbreaking scenes in all of Disney animation comes when Nani and Lilo sit together on a hammock. It’s their last night as a family — a social worker will be coming by in the morning to take Lilo away. Nani can barely hold back tears as she embraces Lilo and sings to her. Stitch, feeling guilty for repeatedly causing problems, leaves. As Stitch leaves Lilo’s bedroom, she tells him she’ll remember him. She’s lost so much already, that her beloved pet leaving her feels inevitable. “I remember everyone that leaves,” she says, as she falls asleep.
It’s an extraordinary sequence of devastating scenes in a family film. No other Disney film has grappled with sadness like this before, and none has since. A character like Lilo is an anomaly. She’s awkward, shy, completely in her own world, and incredibly lonely. Sadness is normal for her. All she wants is to be loved. Through Lilo, Disney gave voice to those children who’ve experienced loss or struggle to fit in. And just like Lilo, Stitch is struggling to understand his place in the world, feeling the burden of loneliness himself. It’s a big reason why the pair have such an undeniable bond.
All of that isn’t to say Lilo & Stitch is a depressing watch. It’s a very funny, and ultimately heartwarming and uplifting experience. Writer-directors Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (who later helmed DreamWorks How To Train Your Dragon) pepper the film with increasingly delightful comic set-pieces. It’s a film that understands loneliness and depression, but it also hones in on the idea of what truly makes a family, and how you never know when someone will appear to enrich your life. Lilo & Stitch wears its heart on its sleeve, perfecting the balance between humor and heart. It’s a celebration of protecting those you care about. Its message is clear: embrace and love those you care about who are struggling. After all, as the mantra in Lilo, Nani and Stitch’s family goes, “Ohana is family, and family means nobody gets left behind.”
What New Features and Upgrades Does the Lilo & Stitch 4K (Ultimate Collector’s Edition) Have?
The 4K Blu-ray cover of Lilo & Stitch.
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Hula Lesson
- Animating The Hula
- DisneyPedia: The Islands – Explore Hawaiʽi, Oʽahu, Maui, Kauaʽi, Lǡnaʽi and Molokaʽi
- 2 Music Videos: Your ‘Ohana’ & Can’t Help Falling in Love by The A*Teens
- Behind-The-Music Featurette
- A Stitch in Time: Follow Stitch Through The Disney Years
- Inter-Stitch-ials: Theatrical Teaser Trailers
The special features in this Lilo & Stitch release seem to have been ported from the original DVD release. Surprisingly, all of the special features are in standard definition, which is a disappointment considering this is a 4K release. Considering how beloved the film is — and how beautiful it looks in 4K — it’s disappointing to see no new features. Still, Lilo & Stitch is one of Disney’s finest films, and it’s never looked or sounded better than this release.
