Lilo & Stitch At 74% on Rotten Tomatoes But The Reviews Are Mixed.
“Lilo & Stitch” finally hits theaters on Thursday for previews and wide release on Friday, May 23. Now the review embargo is up, and Rotten Tomatoes has the film at a 74% with critics.
While reviews are mostly good, there are plenty that aren’t. However, only 62 reviews are up.
What are critics saying?
While many say it’s like the original or overall good, others say it plays it too safe from the original.
The good,
“This adaptation complements and deepens the story in a way that few, if any, Disney remakes have before, making for a heartfelt, funny, and enjoyable ride for kids and adults alike.” - Caralynn Matassa, CBR
“Director Dean Fleischer Camp laces this edition with such heart, humour, and respect for its Hawaiian culture, that you’d be hard pressed not to be swept up in its harmless charm.” - Peter Gray, AU Review
“While Lilo & Stitch may not match the animated original’s wild energy or cultural impact, it succeeds in telling a gentler, more grounded story about love, loss, and finding home.” - Linda Marric, HeyUGuys
'“For adults, a little of the visual chaos will go a long way, with [Stitch], cute as he is, not exactly E.T. in terms of appeal. Younger viewers should eat it all up, and those weaned on the original film will appreciate the numerous shout-outs.” - Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
“Lilo & Stitch joins the ranks of the Disney live-action remakes, & while it might not have the lovable mess of the original, it still finds its voice.” - Mary Kassel, ScreenRant
“I guess when you take something that works and make it work slightly less, it still kinda works.” - William Bibbiani, The Wrap
The bad,
“Lilo & Stitch has heart that bursts through in a moving, reworked third act. That’s also not enough to compensate for a flat first hour, partially because much of this material was never intended for live-action, and it shows” -Robert Kojder, Flickering Myth
“Lilo & Stitch is a version of the animated original that simply exists, and nothing else. It does what it says on the tin, for better or worse, and leaves your mind as soon as it ends, with no other function than to generate its studio a ton of money.” - Jack Martin , Film Feeder
“Lilo & Stitch is sanitized beyond recognition. Its most iconic lines remain, but what was once a difficult, even adult story is handled with kiddie gloves here.” -Lyvie Scott, Inverse
“Even if Lilo & Stitch is one of the "better" Disney live-action remakes, the bar for them is still scraping against the floor.” - Tyler Taing, Discussing Film
“The Disney Channel Original aesthetic and a handful of wrongheaded decisions make this film just the latest in a string of soulless, cut-rate copies.”- Jacob Oller, AV Club
Of course, audiences may love it or hate if far more than the critics. I do think it is going to do well.
What do you think? Comment and let us know!