Big Hero 6 Review

A Heroic Achievement

As one of the biggest Disney animation nerds on the planet (my first word on this planet was Disney actually...I was doomed to this life from the start!), a new feature from the newly revitalized animation studio always gets me excited. Trailers for Big Hero 6 looked terrific, but I was worried, simply due to there being so few movies from the studio that were like this one. Heavy on action (the last time the studio tried that, *hooray!* Treasure Planet, though before that we got *shudder* Atlantis), based on an obscure Marvel character and a potential trainwreck of a lead character...these are the elements that filled me with worry as the movie approached. 

We've seen various protagonists from Walt Disney Animation Studios over the years; royal lions, sleeping ladies, a son of Zeuz, Chicken Little, but Hiro (Ryan Potter) is a unique one for the studio. His age is never stated explicit in the feature, but I'd wager it's around 14 (he graduated college at the age of 13), making him a unique age not only for a film from this company (Treasure Planet is the only other movie I can think of to have a similarly aged protagonist, and even Jim Hawkins was a few years older), but from most American animation studios. In terms of cinema at large, many characters in Hiro's age range are what I dubbed before trainwrecks, as they get reduced to spouting sarcasm or being angst machines. 

The opening scene that introduces the audience to Hiro simultaneously filled me with dread and glee. A robot sparring match that pits (you guessed it) robots against each other in a violent manner has Hiro acting like a more passive person, before some action in the ring benefits him, at which point his true personality, cocky and assured, bubbles to the surface. I was worried that he'd be grating, but it's actually a pretty engaging disposition that makes for a nice contrast to Hiro's brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney), who I was similarly worried about being nothing more than a typical cliche, that of the perfect older brother.

But he's also executed in a successful manner, looking out for Hiro but also having funny interactions with him that feels realistic. Soon, we meet the older brothers pals, four of the titular superhero group. Each of them (Honey Lemon, Fred, GoGo Tomogo, Wasabi) take a cue from fellow 104 Marvel feature and all have distinct personalities, none of them drag down pacing or become tedious. They all work well as a dynamic both in casual conversations and as heroes, and it's nice to see them be both capable and flawed at using their superpowers. The best of this particular group has to be Fred, a character who T.J. Miller brings to vivid life with an arsenal of quotable lines ("An invisible sandwich! You could be eating it, but everyone else just thinks you're crazy!")

And then there's the critter all the advertising for Big Hero 6 revolves around, Baymax, a creation of Tadashi. I recently rewatched Walt Disney Animation Studios previous film Frozen, and not only was reminded of the films quality, but also was impressed with how they handled Olaf, a character responsible for much of that movies humor. His laughs derive from his optimism, not through flatulence or loudness. Baymax similarly avoids grossness to provide humor, but goes in the opposite direction of Olaf, but making much of his humor come from his mundane voice and body. Seriously, this guy is not only adorable in his physical appearance, but his design is just naturally funny. Simply him walking got chuckles out of me, so needless to say his various moments of levity got great reactions from me.

Baymax is also responsible for a part of the film I was not expecting to see so successfully executed; the more heartfelt moments. Hiro goes through turmoil in the film (my spoiler free policy prevents me from telling why, but I will freely admit the third trailer reveals why), and Baymax manages to be a great part of those moments. One reason the ensemble cast works so well is that, like that inflatable bot, they can do moments of lightheartedness and drama in equally successful manners. Seeing the likes of Fred and Honey Lemon in more formal attire in a particularly somber scene, a sharp contrast to their everyday outfits, is an excellent example of the films ability to convey darkness in a subtle manner.

What's not subtle, and thank God it isn't considering how great it is, is the movies action. Sequences are shot in a clear, exciting manner and the antagonists use of shape-shifting machines called microbots in the movies battle scenes leads to some striking imagery that makes the action stand out even more. Speaking of that antagonist, he's a dude in a kabuki mask who the films makes a bit of a mystery as to whose behind. Honestly though, it's not hard to pick out who it is, especially considering how little time we get to spend with the various characters the film puts out as potential suspects. To the movies credit though, the villain, once the dastardly foe is revealed, is given some depth that adds an wonderfully realized emotional layer to the epic finale. 

Before I close this massive review, I should also give special kudos to the animation on the film, which is beautiful to watch. The film takes place in the city of San Fransokyo, a place that utilizes a lot of Japanese culture in it to gorgeous results, and I love that the film actually makes great use of the culture of that country in both visuals and storytelling, Directors Don Hall (who was one of the writers of the movies story) and Chris Williams certainly have crafted a beautiful looking film, as well as one that has plenty of substance. Big Hero 6 has got tons of humor, action and glorious animation, but what really makes it a stand-out feature for me are the moments of captivating gravitas.