Movie Review: Big Hero 6

A 14-year-old boy genius and his robot takes the world by storm in Walt Disney Animation Studio’s latest feature.

By Kevin Nicholas Wong

PHOTO: Walt Disney

Big Hero 6

Action, Animation, Comedy (PG)
Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung
108 minutes

Big Hero 6 is Walt Disney Animation Studio’s next feature film after the wildly successful pop culture phenomenon, Frozen. Filling these big shoes is a challenge that Big Hero 6 faces, though it does succeed in its own right.

Despite it being a typical superhero story, audiences will be constantly engaged and thoroughly entertained by innovative action sequences and comedic elements,.

Inspired by the understated Marvel comic book series of the same name, the film is set in a futuristic fictional city, San Fransokyo, where technology is at the forefront. We are introduced to our protagonist Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), a 14-year-old robotic genius who spends his time engaging in back alley robot fights, to the dismay of his brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) and aunt Cass (Maya Rudolph).

Tadashi encourages Hiro to use his knowledge in robotics for a better purpose, instead of wasting it on illegal activities. He sends Hiro on a new quest to enter the university that he is studying in. Hiro succeeds in entering, and it is where he meets the rest of the colourful cast.

This includes Tadashi’s latest invention Baymax (Scott Adsit) — a robot designed to meet everyone’s health care needs. Together, Hiro and his newfound friends form a band of unlikely superheroes known as Big Hero 6.

The Asian influences are refreshing in a Hollywood movie, and fighting styles borrowed from films such as The Karate Kid and other kung fu films are heavily utilised in Big Hero 6. The notion of Asian characters carrying the film is heartening, and reflects Disney’s attempt in adapting to the diverse landscape of a globalised world.

However, Big Hero 6 does not break away from the mould of superhero movies and some of its plot twists are predictable and its pacing is clunky. As it is an origin story, the film tries to squeeze as much information as possible within the first 15 minutes of screen time. The beginning of the film feels too rushed, and in contrast, the end also drags on a little too much.

Fortunately, this problem is saved by whatever is packed in between. Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams have made full use of the fact that this is an animation film, and have created engaging action sequences that are not possible in a live-action film. Imagine thousands of flying robot capsules (called mini-bots) chasing a car, swerving back and forth through the streets of San Fransokyo. Scenes like these are exhilarating to watch, and will keep you on the edge of your seats.

Comedy also plays a huge role in carrying the film. Character interaction forms a large bulk of the comedy, something that the Marvel films are known for — and it works. This is due to strong development of the characters in the film; each character’s personality is fleshed out and unique, making room for even more funny moments.

The main star of the film is undoubtedly the large and adorable robot Baymax. Its mannerisms are unusual and memorable, joining the ranks of other iconic animated characters such as WALL-E and Dory from Finding Nemo. Baymax’s attempt to understand the human condition through Hiro adds a sense of depth and heart.

A fist bump, a seemingly simple gesture that Hiro teaches Baymax, turns hilarious when Baymax uses it wrongly. This running joke between Hiro and Baymax creates some of the film’s best moments.

That being said, Baymax and Hiro seem to overwhelm the rest of the cast of Big Hero 6. The other four characters are relegated to the sidelines when their characters have so much more potential. If this was an ensemble film, like its title suggests, more screen time should have been allocated to the others when their characters are so fully thought out.

Nonetheless, these slight problems are worth overlooking as Big Hero 6 is still hugely entertaining and even as adults, there is always something worth taking away from a Disney film. The emphasis on family ties and not acting rashly when one is angry are important life lessons, and it is a comfort to be reminded of them.