If you haven’t seen the new live action Lilo and Stitch movie, you might not want to read this.
Stories have characters. It’s hard to have a story without them. The job of a writer, movie producer, game developer, etc. is to weave a story where every character has a purpose. If they don’t, then they just take up space. Crafty writers are able to make the most unsuspecting characters as the most important. Regardless, every character has a role. Take away that character, and you change the story.
Before I watched it, I had heard that the new Lilo and Stitch movie removed a character: Captain Gantu. In the original movie, he becomes the main antagonist trying to take Stitch away from his found family. He’s there at the beginning and he shows up at the end. His goal is to keep his job and his pride as a captain in the Galactic Federation (as well as purge abominations from existence). Now, I understand why they took him out. They wanted to shift the focus of the movie more on Lilo’s and Nani’s relationship, and Gantu is a more “outside” character. He’s not related to anyone in the film. He’s just a guy with an attitude trying to do his job only for this cute and fluffy, blue abomination to ruin it all for him. So, I get cutting him from the film.
However, in removing a character, stories shift. Gantu’s role is now empty. So, who fills it? Who will be the driving force that pushes Lilo’s and Stitch’s found family together?
They chose Jumba, the mad genius who created Stitch. I’ll admit, I was upset when I discovered this. I am a HUGE fan of the found family trope and I felt like Jumba was robbed of that. In the original movie, Jumba becomes Stitche’s ally. He flies the spaceship to help save Lilo and he becomes a part of Lilo’s family at the end. His story has the taste of a redemption arc to it and that’s why I always liked him.
Yet, for Jumba to become the villain in the new movie also makes sense. He’s the obvious choice. He has a big connection to Stitch as his creator. He has a shady background as mad scientist. In the original movie, he even gives villain vibes as we see him in jail and he often talks about destruction. He still talks of changing Stitch, but has a change of heart instead after getting the chance to observe Stitch with his new family. For Jumba to go full villain in the new movie hits harder. It would hurt anyone to learn that their creator wanted to turn them into something else. You don’t see Jumba trying to understand Stitch, he only tries to capture him. So, Jumba’s desire to change Stitch even after everything they went through makes Stitch’s acceptance by Lilo and Nani and the others all the more strengthened.
I’m not thrilled about the change in the movie. I love seeing gray characters like Jumba become good. I don’t like it when a story is messed with by characters being added or subtracted. Yet, for the new Lilo and Stitch, I understand why they did it. Writers are charged with questioning the boundaries of the story, after all.
nikki diekemper 