Stitch! The Movie | | Cast : | Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders (III), Tia Carrere | | Director : | Robert Gannaway, Tony Craig (II) | | Studio : | Walt Disney Home Video | | Format : | Animated, Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | August 26, 2003 | | DVD Released Date : | August 26, 2003 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | G (General Audience) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | November 28, 2004 | | Summary | Ugh. Doesn't deserve Stitch's name! | Content
 | Wow, this movie was awful. I am a HUGE fan of "Lilo & Stitch" so naturally I bought this movie sight unseen. Looks like Disney is just cashing the sequel checks with children being their primary target. Very low quality story. Stick with Saturday morning cartoons -- at least they're free. |
| Rating | | | Date | September 12, 2004 | | Summary | Not bad for an hour | Content
| As we all know this movie was just made to set up for the animated series on disney channel so its not really a sequel per say. It does introduce the concept of stitches other 625 cousins and we are introduced to new characters as well. I know that most "movie to set up a series" are usually not that good, but this one is still pretty good. It will definately keep the kids entertained and thats what is important. So i would pick this up for not only your kids to enjoy, but the whole family as well. |
| Rating | | | Date | May 03, 2004 | | Summary | If you can't compare, they can't disappoint! | Content
| When I first discovered that Disney were releasing a sequel to their greatest hit to date, Lilo & Stitch, I couldn't believe it. I remember watching the original film in theatres and have loved it ever since. So obviously I had to go out and buy the sequel as soon as it came out and was I disappointed? Hell no! Strangely not a lot of others agree so but I totally agree with the points that Rezo has made. All Disney sequels that go direct to video don't bother going through the big struggle of being better than the first. Obviously this is no exception, but it's a bloody good effort, and it's undoubtedly unfair to compare this to the original film, which is what I'm not doing.
This film is brilliant. It doesn't have the feel of a sequel when you finish watching it, and technically it is just a way to start off the TV series, but I can very easily enjoy it as both. The qualities of the first film include all the fantastic voice talents returning, which isn't that common for something that goes straight to video, especially with such names like Tia Carrere, Kevin McDonald and Ving Rhames, and the fact that its unique style of comedy that made the first film such a success has been superbly recreated here. Let's now divide its details:
Storyline
Many sequels are poor rehashes with exactly the same storyline as before, films like Jungle Book 2 for example, but this one has a clever story to it. Stitch is experiment 626, and here begins the discovery of his 625 older 'cousins'. The new evil Badguy, Dr. Hamsterviel, who you can't help but feel sorry for in the end, teams up with Gantu, who's just been fired from his job, and kidnaps Jumba for his share of the collection. But Lilo and Stitch won't stop there, because for both of them, ohana still means nobody gets left behind. And because the mention of ohana is a key element in Lilo and Stitch, the sequel spaces the feeling out for both worlds. Whereas the first film explaining the situation of Lilo's family, Stitch! The Movie is more based on Stitch's.
Animation
Because it precedes a TV show, the watercolour backgrounds of the original can't be reused. But for television and straight to video, it's not really that bad. Kids won't care as long as they have the characters they love on the screen, and adults shouldn't care as long as they have the humour of the original's brilliance.
Voices
Apart from Jason Scott Lee, who is replaced by Dee Bradley Baker as David, they all came back and they all do well. The new voice of David does a great performance, and Tia Carrere is still good as Nani. Also the dating interest seems to be getting better between them despite Nani's doubts. David Ogden Stiers and Kevin McDonald as Jumba and Pleakley spare us more wit this time around, as well as Ving Rhames (Cobra) and Kevin Michael Richardson (Gantu) being as stunningly cool as before. As for previous voices, the amazing, should-be-Oscar-nominated, Daveigh Chase is the best of the lot as Lilo for the second film running, with the Grandcouncil Woman's Zoe Caldwell coming a very close second, in front of Gantu, Cobra and Pleakley.
In the department of new voices, Jeff Bennett is hilarious as the fantastic new villian Hamsterviel, and Rob Paulsen fits the part of 625 perfectly.
Humour
A reprisal from the new style of comedy brought along by the first film that has been winningly used to offer no signs of disappointment in this area. There's also a great use of the Peter Gunn theme put in here for extra effect on those who were impressed with all the comedic nostalgia references in the first film. To finalise, listen to everything I've said, and take some of Rezo's advice, and watch it that way. Chances are you won't nearly be as disappointed as the many others. Think of it as The Matrix Reloaded, it's not as good as number one, but definitely a necessary release as there is now a series and talk of a third film. Sandwich, anyone? |
| Rating | | | Date | April 04, 2004 | | Summary | Not Really A Sequel; Just A Launch | Content
| I think it would first have to be stated that it would be unfair to compare this film with the orginal 'Lilo & Stitch' masterpiece, because that's simply not what it was meant to be. Most noticably, the animation has been altered to a lower level, and the storyline is less dramatic than in the original. On the good side, the original voice-cast is still present...although many of the sound effects (especially Stitch's alien-talk) are simply ones taken from the original movie. As I was saying, comparing this movie to the first is pretty much unacceptable, because what Disney has released as it's "sequel" to 'Lilo & Stitch' is basically just a kick-off for the televised 'Lilo & Stitch: The Series', that started airing shortly after the film's release. To count this movie as an actual part of 'The Series' is probably more understandable than it may seem.
First of all, in the creation of an actual feature-length, animated movie ('Lilo & Stitch'), there is tremendous work and effort put into quality and perfection, which takes much time to complete. Obviously, the animators of 'The Series' will not be able to use watercolor backgrounds and Chris Sanders' original artwork for a whole series of 30-minute shows, and that's what they tried to prepare us for in 'Stitch!'. It simply wouldn't be beneficial (but it would be possible) to present cinematic-level qualities to children on Satuday morning. They'd certainly be giving much more than they would be receiving in return. The movie is left off with an open ending, which would immedietly transfer into the exploits and scenarios shown in 'The Series'. Children will appreciate it, mainly because the original 'Lilo & Stitch' was so popular and lovable; because they'll already be anticipating see it ('The Series') every week at home. They'll appreciate it, even though they'll surely notice the difference in animation...but children who have built themselves an icon out of Stitch won't care as long as they hear his voice. I wouldn't reccomend this movie over too many others, but it's worth a look if you're a 'Lilo & Stitch' fan; rent it and take a look.
I bought it just to say I own it, and the more I watch it, the more I ignore the flaws and focus on what's good about it...but you'll have to figure that out for yourself. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 26, 2004 | | Summary | Would have given it less | Content
| Although this one of my kids' favorite movies to watch, for the time being at least, I found it to be nothing but a commercial for the cartoon series on Disney. The animation is not up to the standards in the movie, the music lacks spark, and the story line is transparent and trite. I feel taken for the $$ I spent on it. |
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