The dreaded Disney sequel curse strikes again. If you're not familiar with this common phenomenon, it's the ongoing problem that nearly every straight-to-video Disney sequel suffers from; namely, the movie stinks. And although Stitch! The Movie tries to up the ante in the comedy department, it falls horribly flat with its abysmal plot and stale dialogue.
Things get off to a bad start right from the promotional material on the box. It says, "Stitch was experiment 626
meet the other 625!" Sounds like the grounds for a good sequel right? Well it might have been if we actually got to meet the other 625. Instead, we're introduced to two other experiments, a slim electrical Pikachu like creature, and a painfully unfunny sandwich eating couch potato. Where are the rest of the experiments? Well we see them, but only in un-hatched egg form. Yes it's lame, much like the plot.
Our old "big dummy" shark-like nemesis, Captain Gantu has accepted employment with Jumba's old partner Dr. Hamsterviel. Hamsterviel is an angry little "hamster-like" alien whose sole mission is to steal back the other 625 experiments that he funded in the first place so he can take over the galaxy. When Lilo and Stitch see Jumbo getting kidnapped, they resort to hatching one of the other experiments to help get him back. Yet the electrical sucking creature acts much like Stitch did in the first movie, and naturally isn't very cooperative. Hamsterviel then attempts to torture Jumbo into telling him where the other experiments were hidden, by releasing experiment 625, who Gantu found laying on the ground at Lilo's house. Experiment 625 has all the power and capabilities of Stitch, yet is lazy and is only concerned with making sandwiches. This leads to a ransom for Jumbo's safe return, and the eventual release of all the remaining 623 experiments (none of which we really get to meet). The movie then concludes with a disgustingly simple resolution that the galactic councilwoman gingerly accepts.
On the bright side, all of the original voice talents from Lilo & Stitch have returned for this straight-to-video release. This is good, because if the voices had changed, the movie would have been un-watchable. I was happy that Kids In The Hall alum, Kevin McDonald got plenty of screen time with his oddball character Pleakley. This was my favorite character in the first movie, and I was glad to see he had received more lines for this installment. And for the most part, I enjoyed the voice of Jeff Bennett who played the overexcited Dr. Hamsterviel, despite the fact that he blatantly stole this personality from the French Taunter in the absolutely hilarious Monte Python and the Holy Grail.
Unfortunately, the movie has more bad points than good. The new character, 625, was the unfunniest and most horribly voiced characters I've ever seen in a Disney feature film. Also, Lilo's older sister Nani, and her friend David, seem disturbingly uninterested in their friend, Jumba's disappearance. This was especially unnerving since the first movie placed so much emphasis on the importance of family. These, along with several instances of bad writing and awful dialogue combined to make a pretty bad movie overall.
If your kids loved Lilo & Stitch, then they'll probably love Stitch! The Movie just as much, as the humor will appeal to young ones greatly. But if you're an adult who is curious to see how the tale continues on, I'd like to offer my advice: Don't bother. There are some funny parts here and there, but overall the experience felt like a complete waste of time. If you buy it, buy if for your kids, and try not to pay too close attention.
The DVD
Video:
Stitch! The Movie is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. The nice thing about this rarely used aspect ratio is that it fit my giant 16x9 screen almost perfectly. That was nice to see. The picture quality itself is quite stunning. Colors are rich and vibrant, and the picture is clear and clean throughout. As with all Disney straight-to-video sequels, I was hugely disappointed in the lack of detail of animation that was found on the first movie. But I was expecting this early on, so it didn't come as a shock. But just once I wish Disney would surprise me and putt in the same level of effort for these movies like they do for their theatrical releases.
The only real problem I found was a moderate degree of edge enhancement. It's not very distracting, and should go widely unnoticed, unless you're watching it on an excessively large screen.
Audio:
Here we get both a Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS audio tracks. Both are exceptional, and sound nearly identical. The difference between the two was so minute, that it isn't worth mentioning. Just pick your favorite and enjoy.
I was disappointed that the audio for this movie wasn't as impressive as the first. There also wasn't as much sound going to the rear speakers, so the overall surround experience wasn't as full. But there really isn't anything to complain about here. The dialogue is clear and audible and the music sounds great. For a straight-to-video release it's more than fine. Nothing memorable, but it suits them movie perfectly.
Extras:
Trivia Challenge: Here is a straightforward trivia game hosted by the evil Dr. Hamsterviel. This operates like your standard multiple choice trivia game. But I did enjoy the intro and commentary by the charismatic Hamsterviel.
Experimental Finder: Here is a trial and error, click and choose game where you help Dr. Jumbo find his hiding experiments. Good for kids, horribly boring for adults.
Experiment Gallery: Here is a small database of the various other experiments that are cousins to Stitch. Children into Pokemon may love this feature as all the characters have a picture profile along with a short audio commentary about them.
"Aloha, E Komo Mai" Music Video: This video is performed by the Disney band Jump5. I actually liked the song, and was thrilled that the video was comprised entirely of clips from the movie, and was devoid of any teenagers jumping around in ridiculous outfits.
Final Thoughts:
Stitch! The Movie is a bad film. The plot is dreadful, and the dialogue is at times atrocious. That coupled with the incredibly short runtime of less than 60 minutes, you just can't help but be disappointed at this Disney sequel. Given the great opportunity to expand on this wonderful story, it appears that Disney has dropped the ball, or perhaps just didn't care. If your child really liked Lilo & Stitch, they'll probably love this movie just as much, but if you're looking for a great follow up to the loveable first film, don't look here.
Skip It
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Buena Vista Home Video // Unrated // $29.99 // August 26, 2003
Review by David Blair | DVDTalk l posted August 12, 2003 |
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Stitch! The Movie -Review! 
I was afraid of that!!! 
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