Why So Blu?

Lilo & Stitch (2025) (4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook Review)

When Disney first announced a live-action version of Lilo & Stitch for 2025, plenty of fans were nervous. How do you take a beloved, quirky, heart-on-its-sleeve animated classic from 2002 and bring it into the modern day without losing the magic? The answer is: you lean into authenticity, embrace the heart of Hawaii, and let your cast shine. The result is a film that not only honors the original but, in many ways, surpasses it.

Film  

New Beginnings or Same Ol’ Stuff?

On the Hawaiian island of Kaua‘i, young Lilo Pelekai struggles to fit in after losing her parents, while her older sister Nani does her best to keep their small family together under the watchful eye of social services. Lilo adopts what she believes is a strange little dog from the shelter, not realizing it’s actually Experiment 626—a genetically engineered alien fugitive built for destruction. Naming him Stitch, she finds in him the companionship she’s been longing for, even as his chaotic behavior threatens to tear her fragile home life apart.

As alien agents close in to capture Stitch, he slowly begins to understand what family really means through Lilo’s belief in “ohana.” When danger puts Lilo directly in harm’s way, Stitch chooses to protect rather than destroy, proving he’s more than his design. In the end, the Galactic Council allows him to remain on Earth, and Lilo, Nani, and their new companion forge a messy but unbreakable bond that ensures no one gets left behind.

Maia Kealoha’s Big Debut as Lilo

Let’s start with the breakout star of the entire movie: Maia Kealoha. In her very first acting role, she brings Lilo to life with a mix of fiery energy and quiet vulnerability that feels completely genuine. Unlike the animated version, where Lilo sometimes came off more like a quirky cartoon archetype, this live-action Lilo feels like a real kid—with messy emotions, imagination, and the kind of stubbornness that makes her unforgettable.

Kealoha doesn’t just play Lilo—she is Lilo. From her delivery of sharp one-liners to her heartfelt moments of loneliness, every beat feels natural. It’s a rare kind of debut performance, one that makes you think we’ll be seeing her on screen for years to come.

A Stronger, More Relatable Nani

Sydney Agudong as Nani is another standout. While the animated version gave us glimpses of her struggles, the live-action film dives deeper into her challenges as a young woman trying to hold her family together. The weight on her shoulders feels more immediate, her frustrations more raw, and her love for Lilo more moving than ever before.

The sisterly bond between Kealoha and Agudong is the heartbeat of the movie. Their relationship anchors the story in a way that makes the emotional stakes higher than they were in 2002.

Stitch, Brought to Life

Of course, there’s Stitch. The CGI rendering of the little blue alien is both adorable and impressively expressive, and the decision to keep Chris Sanders as his voice was the perfect choice. The combination of photo-realistic visuals with the same mischievous tone we all know gives Stitch a fresh yet familiar presence. He feels less like a cartoon and more like an actual member of the family—messy, chaotic, but undeniably lovable.

Supporting Roles That Elevate the Story

The supporting cast brings extra layers of charm and humor that make the film feel fuller than the original. Billy Magnussen is a scene-stealer as the bumbling Pleakley, giving the character a more humanized comedic touch while still keeping the quirky heart intact. Zach Gallifianakis adds just the right mix of menace and goofiness as Dr. Jumba Jookiba, making his scenes unexpectedly memorable. Meanwhile, Tia Carrere and Jason Scott Lee—both returning to the Lilo & Stitch universe in new roles—bring warmth and authenticity that deepen the film’s ties to Hawaiian culture. Together, this ensemble keeps the story balanced, blending sci-fi chaos with heartfelt family drama in a way that feels richer than the 2002 version.

Amy Hill adds a touch of grounded wisdom as Tūtū, the kind of role that makes the idea of “ohana” feel lived-in and true. Courtney B. Vance brings gravitas to his Cobra Bubbles, offering a layer of authority that never overshadows the story’s heart, while newcomer Kaipo Dudoit rounds things out with an earnest, heartfelt performance that keeps the focus on community and connection. These supporting turns don’t just fill space—they give the film its texture, making the live-action Lilo & Stitch feel more like a world you want to step into.

Hawaii as More Than Just a Backdrop

Director Dean Fleischer Camp deserves serious credit for making Hawaii feel like a living, breathing part of the story. While the animated film captured the spirit of the islands, the live-action version lets us feel it. From lush beaches to small-town streets, the setting isn’t just background—it shapes the characters, their struggles, and their joy.

The authenticity of Hawaiian culture—through dance, music, and community—is woven beautifully into the narrative. It makes the story more grounded, more heartfelt, and more respectful to the place that shaped it.

Why This Version Works Better Than the 2002 Original

Here’s the bold take: this live-action remake is actually better than the animated classic. The 2002 film will always be iconic, but it leaned more heavily on cartoon humor and lighter emotional beats. The 2025 version deepens the characters, sharpens the drama, and makes the theme of ohana resonate even more.

By giving Nani and Lilo more dimension, showing the real stakes of their lives, and rooting the film firmly in Hawaiian culture, the remake transforms from a quirky cartoon adventure into a powerful family drama with sci-fi flair. It’s not just fun—it’s meaningful.

Final Thoughts

Disney’s live-action remakes have been hit-or-miss, but Lilo & Stitch stands out as one of the best. It honors what came before while daring to push deeper into character, culture, and emotion.

With a star-making debut from Maia Kealoha, heartfelt performances all around, breathtaking Hawaiian backdrops, and a richer emotional core, this is more than just a remake—it’s a new classic.

And just like Stitch himself, this version proves that family—no matter how messy or unconventional—is always worth fighting for.

See our review for the original Lilo & Stitch HERE

Video  

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

HDR: Dolby Vision

Layers: BD-66

Clarity/Detail: Lilo & Stitch arrives on 4K UHD Blu-ray and it’s a thoroughly modern affair.  The film is a digitally shot, vibrant looking one that is rife with detail for 4K lovers! Location shooting is lovely overall with a nice depth of field throughout.  CGI isn’t too bad off with the increased resolution either.  The issues with some of the digital noise seem to be baked in, but this isn’t enough of a big deal for me to knock any points off the score.

Depth: Depth is handled with ease.  Depending on the lighting, foreground and backgrounds look just as they should with solid delineation and clean movement most of the time.  There are however and instance or two where there are moments of rapid movement that jut along the screen rather than moving fluidly.

Black Levels: Black levels reach inky darkness at times, and we savor them!

Color Reproduction: Color grading is beautiful, with lush island colors really coming through.  The colors of Stitch and other extraterrestrial beings are vibrant and the beachy look of the locations really pop too.  There are no issues with primary colors and the Dolby Vision HDR really makes the proceedings dimensional within the color spectrum.

Skin Tones: Flesh tones are natural and clean with the human characters looking perfectly tan as they should be!

Noise/Artifacts: None

Audio

Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Audio, Spanish and French 7.1 Dolby Digital Plus

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Dynamics: The Dolby Atmos mix compliments the sunny nature of the film.  Sounding full bodied and busy from the opening, the dynamics of the mix can be subtle in some ways and present with atmospheric fireworks the next. The bass response goes deep when needed and music and dialogue sounds excellent too! While this won’t go to anyone’s reference/show your disc doubter friends pile, the audio mix is absolutely no slouch.

Height: Height speakers have some nice activity in busy moments, such as the opening trial and escape sequence and the landing moments of Stitch and his potential captors.  Scenes involving water bring the water all around you with music and ambience sometimes appearing up top as well.

Low Frequency Extension: Bass digs into the floor with active moments.  A house fire, some spacecraft crashes, and some underwater moments along with a very special space weapon all have the bass going for your foundation.  Music sounds great with the bass as well.

Surround Sound Presentation: Surrounds add sweetener to fill out the mix with scenes indoors and outdoors, bringing the listener right into the scene.

Dialogue: Dialogue is always easy to hear and understand.

Extras

Extras provide the standard mixture for Disney releases.  The 4K release of Lilo and Stitch comes to the format in a 4K Steelbook exclusive.  A Blu-ray and digital code come with the 4K disc.

Bonus Features

• Deleted Scenes:
  • Nani Cleans Up
  • My Name is Nani
• ‘Ohana Means Family: Making Lilo & Stitch – Learn how an animated classic becomes an instant live-action favorite. Explore the challenges of bringing Stitch into the real world, how the familiar images of the original were recreated, and join returning cast members on a set that embodies ‘ohana.
• Drawn to Life – Check out scenes from the animated original film alongside their live-action counterparts to see how these beloved key moments were faithfully recreated. And uncover some easter eggs along the way!
• Bloopers – Take a look at some of the fun mishaps on set with the cast and crew of Lilo & Stitch.
• Scenes with Stitch – Hear Stitch talk about some of his favorite scenes as he watches the movie play.
  • Escape To Earth
  • Feeding Fish
  • Hula Performance
  • Stitch Gets Named
  • Bath Time
  • Watch This

Summary

Lilo & Stitch is a pleasant surprise.  Disney has been making live-action remakes of its animated films for a while now, and they’re either very good or very bad.  In 2025, we already saw the bad with their new Snow White. We did however see the charm of Lilo & Stitch, buoyed by strong performances, just enough adjustment to the original storyline and some really nice touches of sweetness that ground the film.  Without hesitation, this big blockbuster earned its money, and is a great 4K release too!

Buy Lilo & Stitch on 4K UHD Blu-ray Steelbook HERE