By: Ananya Nrushima
Based off of a semi-obscure Marvel comic book team, Big Hero 6 is a superhero story with all of the heart and wit of recent Disneymovies. It tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a child prodigy and robotics expert who looks up to his older brother, Tadashi. After Tadashi’s tragic death, Hiro must team up with his brother’s old colleagues and Tadashi’s brainchild (a robot called Baymax) to apprehend his brother’s killer, a man in a kabuki mask who’s using one of Hiro’s inventions to wreak havoc in the city.
Almost all of the characters are geniuses who use their self-made tech in battle instead of the more organic enhancements favored by many traditional superheroes. The characters’ gadgets are all really creative and easy on the eyes, and the adaptation of their comic book incarnations to the big screen was clever and well-handled; fanboys should have few complaints. The team members are all relatable and funny; from the sensible, plasma blade-wielding Wasabi and the compassionate chemistry whiz Honey Lemon to the over-the-top fanboy Fred and the no-nonsense speedster Gogo Tomago. Ryan Potter and Daniel Henney deliver excellent, nuanced performance as Hiro and Tadashi. The real star of the show, however, is Scott Adsit’s Baymax, whose voice is both convincingly robotic and filled with heart.
At 102 minutes, Big Hero 6 is a little long for a kids’ movie, but the film is well paced and keeps viewers engaged. The plot is rather complex for a kids’ movie, with a few well-placed twists that will keep viewers of all ages on their toes. The film mixes comedy and more serious heartfelt topics nicely, and the transitions between comedic, action, and dramatic sequences are seamless. The film’s central themes will resonate with everyone regardless of their background. The obligatory Marvel movie post-credits scene is fantastic, so plan on sitting through the credits.
The film also brings a breath of fresh air to the superhero movie genre. For the past few years, most of the comic book movies we’ve seen have been gritty and mature. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Big Hero 6’s lighter approach is refreshing in contrast.
Big Hero 6 is set in the city of San Fransokyo, a colorful city that blends American and Japanese culture fairly seamlessly. The backgrounds are bright and inviting and seem to exude sunny optimism. San Fransokyo also showcases one of Big Hero 6’s more unique traits: its diversity. Big Hero 6 is one of only a few superhero teams that overrepresents minorities; only one of the team members is not from a minority or historically oppressed group.
Though this is an animated feature, viewers of all ages will enjoy Big Hero 6. Most of the film involves Hiro coming to terms with his brother’s death and there are a couple intense fight scenes, so the movie may not be suitable for very young children.
Both fans of Marvel’s superhero films and lovers of recent Disney classics like Frozen will enjoy Big Hero 6. Most kids from the ages of 7 to 12 should also enjoy the film.
