Movie Review: Big Hero 6

Disney’s animated films have been fantastic the past few years. Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and Frozen returned the high standards the studio set back in the 90s. I wondered if their next big film would be able to continue their streak, and I was not disappointed.

Big Hero 6 is certainly different from Frozen, which I found to be a smart thing, since anything similar would have been hard to live up to. Since this isn’t a “princess” film, the story probably skews a bit more towards boys, but the characters provide a little something for everyone. 

The story takes place in San Fransokyo and follows Hiro, a young wiz kid who builds robots. After a tragedy leaves behind Baymax, a large inflatable robot who was made to assist with healthcare, Hiro must unravel a mystery and uses his new friend to help. Other friends, named Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Go Go, and Fred, join to help and protect from the danger they face.

With bright colors, unique characters, and popping action, Big Hero 6 is a visual pleasure. The film has some great laughs, a few teary moments, and a heartwarming relationship between Baymax and Hiro.

The only fault I can give the film ties back to the title. Going into the movie (and not knowing anything about the comics this was based on), I assumed from the posters and trailers that it was primarily about a boy and his robot. As the friends come together, the title still didn’t click with me. The ending of the film features a voiceover from Hiro saying how he and his friends will continue to provide help and call themselves “Big Hero 6.” I found that scene quite rushed, especially since the film didn’t necessarily give the friends a huge emphasis. This ending does probably mean we haven’t see the last of these characters though, which I am very welcome for.

One final aspect that makes this a worthy viewing is how Disney has once again provided a short film before the movie. This time it is called Feast, which focuses on a very hungry dog, and subtly shows how his human owner’s life develops and changes. The animation is great, and I could have watched a whole movie about it.