Disney, bless them, continues to put out 2D animated features even if it seems that they don't always know what they're doing. So how does their latest effort, Lilo & Stitch compare to other post-Walt work from the mouse house? Lilo & Stitch is the story of Experiment 626 [Chris Sanders, the film's co-author and co-director] -an extraterrestrial artificial life form that was created to be nothing more than a hellzapoppin' nuisance- who escapes his captors and flees to Earth. Once there he tries to blend into the surroundings by pretending to be a dog and winds up getting adopted by a sad little girl by the name of Lilo [Daveigh Chase] who christens the creature Stitch. Chaos ensues. While the lovely level of anarchy that runs through the film is a welcome departure from the Disney norm what's most interesting about Lilo & Stitch is how it both changes and conforms to the themes found in most Disney movies.
The first sign of Lilo & Stitch's dual nature is found in the art style chosen for the film. By choosing to go with watercolor backgrounds -a technique that hadn't been used by Disney in sixty years- Lilo & Stitch thumbs it's nose at the currently trendy style of full CGI story-telling and embraces it's 2D, hand drawn roots. Not only is the minimal use of computer generated imagery a refreshing change, the more organic look suits the film's Hawaiian location. The neo-retro look permeates the film: the alien technology in Lilo & Stitch looks like it was cribbed from an old Flash Gordon serial and although it's set in modern-day Hawaii the televisions seen in the film all have an antiquated look and seem to play nothing but 1950's drive-in monster movies while Lilo's love of Elvis is so impressive that she listens to Presley's songs on a real, live record player. How many pre-schoolers do you know who own a vinyl collection? The feeling of natural components covered with a thin layer of kitsch suits the rollicking mood of Lilo & Stitch and also describes the feeling one gets from Hawaii itself. [The look of the film also reminds why I like Hawaii so much. Not that I don't already spend my days wishing I was living on the islands I now have cartoons reminding me that I'm living on the wrong stinking land mass. But I digress.]
Major points are awarded for casting of character actors who fit the part they are playing rather than the stunt casting that has plagued so many Disney movies since Robin Williams hammed it up in Aladdin. While Jason Scott Lee, Ving Rhames and the like are good actors none of them overwhelm their part. Even the character designs are a departure from the Disney norm. The art style used on most characters, especially the heroines, in Disney films make them out to be doe-eyed caricatures with impossible physiques. While the characters in Lilo & Stitch are still stylized they look as if they actually have enough body mass to sustain a healthy human being. But the human, and even the alien, physiognomy in the movie takes a back seat to the look and actions of Stitch.
Coming across like some sort of punk rock Pokemon, Stitch is a jittery, jumpy, trigger-happy ball of destruction who spends most of the movie shrieking in an inexplicable alien language when he isn't busy trying to destroy the world. As violent and unintelligible as Donald Duck, Stitch makes for an unlikely but welcome addition to the Disney roster of characters. In most Disney movies the protagonist is either too much of a goody-goody or too busy learning a life lesson to cut loose and has to leave the scenery chewing to the villain. Stitch, however, gets to literally gnaw on the scenery with gusto. But while Stitch's destructive urges don't make for the usual Disney fare the movie's real break from the norm is with Lilo.
Lilo is the latest in a long line of animated orphans. This archetype comes partly from the fairy tale adaptations that have been Disney's stock and trade, somewhat from the need to get the main character out of a sheltered environment in order to get the plot rolling, but mostly from the desire to discuss the changes that come with the maturing process in the most dramatic way possible. Removing the safety net of parents adds to the sense of drama as the character tries to meet Prince Charming, become the king or England, or otherwise find their place in the world. Lilo, however, is too young to be left in the house alone, much less to find her own way in the world. The only family she has left at the start of the movie is her sister Nani [Tia Carrere in her first good role since... in her first good role] who tries to be both a good guardian and sister to Lilo even though she herself is scarcely older than most regular Disney heroines. Lilo's lot in life is similar to other characters such as Dumbo but her reaction is much different and much, much more vocal. Instead of taking the milk-sop approach that seems to be the favored route of most martyred cartoon characters she becomes difficult. Lilo works through the same difficulties many Disney characters face but she's the first to verbalize her problems by straight-out complaining. It's the willingness of the movie to allow Lilo to throw a few tantrums that makes her a natural for the even more wild and even more lost Stitch and it's what makes her so appealing when she and Stitch help each other without realizing it.
I admit I'm over selling Lilo & Stitch. Some of the jokes fall flat, the parts of the two aliens sent to retrieve Stitch [Kevin McDonald and David Ogden Stiers] could easily have been trimmed back a bit, the rambunctious first half of the movie hurts the more conventional ending, and while the characters don't start belting out songs describing their current mental state the concept of 'ohana is ladled out to the audience with an amazing lack of restraint. All of these faults help to ear mark Lilo & Stitch as a Disney movie. The sentiment that comes through with the redemption of both Lilo and Stitch is pure Disney as well. But unlike the heavy-handed moralizing that has derailed a number of the recent offerings from Disney it feels as if Lilo & Stitch has it's heart in the right place and doesn't come across like it was written by a committee or was wrecked by upper management noodling. Because it sets out to be it's own thing Lilo & Stitch ends up naturally becoming what formula driven efforts tried and failed to be. In the end Lilo & Stitch is worth seeing in order to enjoy the traditional sentiment that's underneath it's wild exterior.
PUBLIC NOTICE: I should note that while Lilo & Stitch is a fine movie it contains a lot of comic mischief, some of which may be too intense for the parents of small children. If children decide to take their parents to Lilo & Stitch they may want to quietly reassure the adults with them that it's only a movie and that everything will be all right in the end. Remember, your parents try their best but sometimes things can become a bit too frantic for their permanently frazzled nerves.
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