What’s it about?
Big Hero 6 is an action-packed comedy-adventure that successfully brings to the big screen what Disney has been doing with Marvel characters since they bought them out back in 2009 – a ton of awe and action to deliver a film that shows the best of both studios. Big Hero 6 transports us to the futuristic east-meets-west city of ‘San Fransokyo,’ where robotics prodigy Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), and his big brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) spend their days inventing advanced robotics. However, where Tadashi works on robots that can help better the world, Hiro uses his gift to hustle for cash in the underground robot fighting circuit. Things change when Tadashi finally gets Hiro to harness his genius by attending the robotics university where Tadashi and his four friends, adrenaline junkie Go Go Tamago (Jamie Chung), neurotic neat-freak Wasabi (Damon Wayan Jr.), chemistry whiz Honey Lemon (Génesis Rodríguez) and comic book fanboy Fred (T.J. Miller) hatch amazing and brilliant new tech designs in their nerd lab. When a devastating turn of events catapults them into the midst of a dangerous plot unfolding in the streets of San Fransokyo, Hiro turns to his closest companion – a robot named Baymax (Scott Adsit), an inflatable health care robot invented by Tadashi – and transforms the group into a band of high-tech heroes determined to solve the mystery.
What we liked:
Visually speaking, directors Don Hall (The Princess and the Frog) and Chris Williams (Bolt) have created what can only be described as the most innovative and sophisticated Disney animated film to date, Big Hero 6 outclasses nearly every other animated film to come along in the last few years. The film draws you into the unique world of San Fransokyo, accenting the level of detail built into every frame, with everything from hair follicles to the anime and manga influences packed into the layout of the city. The 3D is really impressive, and if you have the option, the upgraded ticket price is totally worth it.
The action sequences also line up pretty well with Marvel’s live-action superhero movies, with some great battles, chase sequences, and innovative use of tech weaponry that is great to see, further cementing the fact that Pixar has some of the world’s greatest imaginations on their payroll. There is also a lot of great visual and physical comedy, which almost entirely comes from Baymax and his unique (but comedically effective) body design. The film is a strong achievement on a directorial level, – especially when it effortlessly bounces between action-adventure, comedy and heartfelt character drama. The cast was great, breathing great and dynamic life into their respective characters – even if none of them really reach the overall appeal of the ever-loveable Baymax. An awesome job by everyone involved.
What we didn’t like:
Honestly, the character drama is only the real weak point in the film. We didn’t feel as connected to the characters, unlike the best of Pixar’s previous work (Toy Story 3, Up and Wall-E being great examples), and the characters’ connections to each other felt a bit rushed, which made the movie miss out on a lot of character development. So when the film tries to tug at the heartstrings in the climatic showdown, we are ultimately left feeling like we were experiencing the characters’ emotions from a distance, rather than being affected by them. Big Hero 6 can’t quite avoid being anything more than high-quality superhero escapism fun. It’s not a huge drawback, but with a little more finesse in the writing department, Big Hero 6 could’ve been truly exceptional.
In conclusion:
Even though it may never be considered a Disney classic, in the end, Big Hero 6 is great family fun, with action and adventure suited for any age or gender. The Big Hero 6 team has certainly established themselves as icons, and leading that team of iconic characters is no doubt Baymax. “30 Rock” star Scott Adsit was a perfect casting choice for the voice of Baymax. Adsit gives some memorably enjoyable and light-hearted moments as Baxmax, through nothing more than sheer comedic timing – not to mention more than a few quotables that will most definitely become integrated into pop culture – seriously, fist bumping and “blowing it up” will never be the same again. There is absolutely no doubt that Baymax is here to stay, and the Big Hero 6 team has a bright future ahead of them. Big Hero 6 is a definite must-see film.
