Lilo & Stitch might not have been released during the Disney Renaissance, but it is still regarded as one of the better Disney works released in recent years even though the movie will be two decades old in 2022.
But despite all of its obvious good qualities like the beautiful animation, the relatable characters, and the peculiar story, there are still some complaints that could be directed towards it. In fact, some of these things could indicate that Lilo & Stitch is actually overrated and nobody has realized it just yet.
10 OVERRATED: It Might Only Be Suitable For Older Children
Despite the fact that Lilo & Stitch has always been a children's movie, it might actually only be suitable for older children or even teenagers as well as adults.
The reason for this is that it touches upon some pretty dark themes and has jokes that might not be appreciated by younger viewers. Consequently, because the movie is not suitable for everyone, it won't be appreciated as much.
9 UNDERRATED: There Are Some Pretty Political Scenes In The Movie
On the other hand, some of these darker themes are the reason why the movie is so underappreciated. Notably, there are some pretty political scenes in the movie.
For example, a government agent comes to separate the two sisters after Nani sings "Aloha 'Oe" to Lilo. Some deleted scenes also featured American tourists being ignorant and racist while visiting Hawaii.
8 OVERRATED: The Movie Got Numerous Spin-Offs That Were Everywhere
Of course, getting spin-offs, sequels, and tons of merchandise is obviously a factor showing just how successful the movie is. But the problem with this is that it gets on the nerves of even the most loyal fans.
In the case of Lilo & Stitch, the movie got numerous spin-offs that were everywhere. It even got a complete animated TV series that ran for three years along with sequels, comics, video games, and theme park attractions.
7 UNDERRATED: It Depicts Broken Families In A Realistic Way
When Lilo & Stitch is brought up, there are usually some crucial aspects of the movie mentioned to show just how good it is. But some of these elements often get overlooked.
The movie depicts broken families in a realistic way and the concept of found family is done right here. Lilo and Nani lost their parents to bad weather and are now traumatized by it while Stitch doesn't even have a proper family at all.
6 OVERRATED: Stitch Can Be Surprisingly Annoying
Perhaps one of the most hated tropes in animated movies is the comic relief character that is usually introduced to make the children in the theater laugh. But for parents, this character can become annoying.
Unfortunately, one of the main characters in Lilo & Stitch partially serves as the comic relief character--Stitch. He can be surprisingly annoying in some scenes.
5 UNDERRATED: Lilo Is A Realistic "Weird" Child
One thing that isn't brought up often is that Lilo is a realistic "weird" child. A lot of the time, such kids are depicted as quirky, but she is this way in a much darker sense.
Her weird Elvis collection, the shots of people she makes on the beach, the backstories she gives her deformed stuffed animals - all of this make her this kind of child. Moreover, she is clearly uncomfortable with white tourists who treat her as another attraction and her relationship with Nani changed drastically after the death of their parents.
4 OVERRATED: It's A Very Weird Story
That being said, this weirdness can be the exact reason why some viewers don't like Lilo & Stitch. It's not just about Lilo being a weird child but also the story itself being very weird.
Aliens? A genetically-engineered extraterrestrial creature hunted by these very aliens? And all of this is mixed with a little Hawaiian girl struggling to have proper relationships with other people and particularly with her own older sister.
3 UNDERRATED: The Jokes Are Absolutely Hilarious
It's undeniable that many Disney movies have pretty funny jokes, but Lilo & Stitch takes humor to a whole new level - the jokes here are absolutely hilarious.
The way Nani tries to handle the government agent, the way Lilo teaches Stitch to behave, the way the two aliens looking for Stitch dress up to blend in - it's all absolute gold.
2 OVERRATED: Lilo & Stitch Are Both Portrayed As Ill-Behaved
One of the biggest complaints many parents had about the movie is that both Lilo and Stitch are portrayed as ill-behaved. Moreover, by the end of the movie, they don't really experience any severe consequences of such behavior.
Of course, Lilo is just a little kid, so she just doesn't know any better, but that doesn't erase the fact that little kids could view her as a role model and try to recreate her shenanigans.
1 UNDERRATED: Some Fans Call It Their Favorite & Consider It Disney's Most Personal Movie
Despite not having a classic Disney princess in it, Lilo & Stitch manages to have a very big and dedicated fanbase with many fans calling it their favorite Disney or Pixar movie.
In addition to that, some have referred to it as Disney's most personal movie. After all, it doesn't feature conflicts that are so close to heart for many people from different generations and backgrounds.