Following early screenings, Lilo & Stitch (2025) is receiving positive reviews ahead of its theatrical release. Critics are praising the live-action remake for its heartfelt performances, faithful adaptation of the original’s emotional core, and standout casting—especially Maia Kealoha as Lilo. The film is also earning attention for director Dean Fleischer Camp’s handling of the beloved characters and a nostalgic yet updated take on the story of family, grief, and belonging.

Critics are mostly fond of Lilo & Stitch (2025) in reviews

The 2025 live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch has received mostly favorable reviews from critics.

Jonathan Sim of ComingSoon rated the film 7/10, calling it “a cute movie that almost lives up to the original.” He praised Maia Kealoha’s performance as Lilo, stating, “They couldn’t have found a better Lilo. She’s perfect in this movie.”

Sim also commended Sydney Elizebeth Agudong’s portrayal of Nani and noted the film’s successful emotional core, saying it retained “the heart and soul of a broken family learning to be whole again.”

Amy Amatangelo (Paste Magazine) wrote that the film is “not only incredibly well cast” but also modernized with “smart changes and thoughtful additions.” Jay Ledbetter (AwardsWatch) said the movie feels like a “refreshing throwback” to ‘80s and ‘90s family films, while Peter Gray (The AU Review) noted its “heart, humour, and respect for Hawaiian culture.”

Critics like Linda Marric (HeyUGuys) highlighted its “gentler, more grounded story about love, loss, and finding home.” Maia Kealoha, in her debut as Lilo, received consistent praise for her performance. Julian Roman (MovieWeb) said she “saves the day,” while Jack Martin (Film Feeder) criticized the film for having “no other function than to generate its studio a ton of money.”

Not all reviews, however, were entirely positive. Jesse Hassenger of The Guardian described it as “a heavily CG-augmented quasi-live-action monstrosity.” Aidan Kelley of Collider wrote, “The sheer volume of ADR and off-screen dialogue is frankly astounding, and it makes the already questionable pacing and editing even more apparent.”

Lilo & Stitch’s Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores revealed

As of May 21 2025, Lilo & Stitch has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 75% based on 59 critic reviews. On Metacritic, the film has a Metascore of 56, indicating “Mixed or Average” reviews based on 24 critic reviews. No user score has been reported yet.

Lilo & Stitch (2025) releases in theaters on May 23, 2025.