Spoilers for the brand new “Lilo & Sew” observe.
Right here comes yet one more live-action Disney remake. This time, the great 2002 animated characteristic “Lilo & Sew” will get the live-action therapy, and in all honesty, the outcomes aren’t half-bad. As all the time, the unique animated model is superior, however so far as these remakes go, the 2025 “Lilo & Sew” is fairly charming, even when it performs issues just a little too protected. One factor this remake has going for it’s an try to not inform the identical precise story beat for beat. Most of the time, live-action remakes appear to be adopting a shot-for-shot remake model that feels quite pointless — why do the identical precise factor after we have already got that in animated type?
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To be clear, the brand new “Lilo & Sew” does recreate the vast majority of the unique movie, proper right down to the dialogue. The story is as soon as once more a few lonely lady named Lilo (performed fairly nicely by Maia Kealoha) who befriends a havoc-causing alien critter she names Sew (voiced by Chris Sanders, who co-wrote and directed the unique movie and voiced Sew there, too). Simply as within the unique movie, the brand new “Lilo & Sew” is all about how Sew learns the true that means of household, and identical to the unique movie, the brand new “Lilo & Sew” will in all probability make you cry by the point it is over (Did I tear-up just a little bit within the theater once I noticed it this week? You higher consider I did).
However once more, the brand new “Lilo & Sew” makes some adjustments, including new characters, eradicating others, and altering some particulars (there’s quite a bit much less give attention to Elvis on this film, as an example). One of many largest adjustments includes Lilo’s protecting older sister Nani, performed right here by Sydney Agudong. As within the unique movie, Lilo and Nani’s dad and mom have not too long ago died, leaving the teenage Nani as Lilo’s guardian. Whereas Nani’s age isn’t laid out in both movie (she’s clearly older than 18 to be granted guardianship, however that is all we actually know), she’s nonetheless clearly very younger, and all of a sudden being tasked with caring for her little sister is understandably a little bit of a burden for Nani, who struggles to do the best factor and make sufficient cash to help herself and her sister.
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The brand new LIlo & Sew offers Nani’s storyline a distinct ending
Within the unique movie, we do not get a lot information about Nani. The film is primarily centered on Lilo (and Sew), and Nani’s complete arc in that movie revolves round caring for Lilo. Within the new film, the script offers Nani a distinct backstory. We be taught that she was granted a full scholarship to go to varsity to turn out to be a marine biologist, however these goals had been dashed when her dad and mom died.
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Each movies contain Nani struggling to take care of guardianship of Lilo — a process that turns into troublesome after Nani loses her job due to Sew’s antics. However the brand new movie’s finale adjustments issues up for Nani’s future. Within the unique movie, Nani will get to take care of guardianship of Lilo they usually all stay fortunately ever after, with Sew staying on Earth. Within the new movie, nevertheless, Nani is given an opportunity to return to varsity when useful neighbor Tūtū (Amy Hill), a brand new character added for this movie, agrees to look at over Lilo.
There are two methods of taking a look at this variation. One is optimistic, in that it offers Nani an opportunity to stay the life she all the time wished whereas nonetheless staying in Lilo’s life (a post-credit scene reveals Nani makes use of a sci-fi portal gun to move house from faculty to hang around with Lilo and Sew every time she desires). Nevertheless, there’s additionally a unfavourable manner of taking a look at this: ultimately, in spite of everything her struggles, Nani merely fingers Lilo over to be cared for by another person. Should not the sisters keep collectively?
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Finally, I believe this variation works. Positive, it is nicer to have Nani and Lilo keep collectively as one massive household (with Sew). But it surely’s extra hopeful to present Nani an opportunity to stay her goals. However as I mentioned above, the unique film (and it is unique ending) continues to be higher. However I can nonetheless respect what the filmmakers had been going for right here.
“Lilo & Sew” is now in theaters.
