'Big Hero 6' Review

Big Hero 6 Review:

"I Am Satisfied With This Film"

BY IAN TAN

Okay, more than satisfied. Like Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen, Disney has once again nailed it with another great animated film full of beautiful animation, heart and story that audiences, regardless of age, will find something in it they like.

Yakult Colors

Big Hero 6 tells the story of Hiro Hamada, a 14 year-old robotics inventor struggling to cope over the loss of a loved one. Along the way, a mysterious masked man has taken control over one of Hiro’s robotics inventions and things don’t look pretty. With the aid of Baymax, an inflatable healthcare companion; GoGo, a girl who knows how to work her wheels; Wasabi, an OCD laser’s expert; Honey Lemon, a hyperactive chem whiz; and Fred, a school mascot, Hiro plans to find out the meaning of all this, and who’s behind the mask.

Animation-wise, Disney has churned out yet another gorgeous looking film. The ambience, cityscapes and overall design of San Fransokyo is a unique blend of Japanese and American architecture. The characters are all distinctively recognizable and although they do look a little ridiculous in some of their costumes, they’re all likable enough that we see past the goofy outfits and view them as characters; something Disney does better than most DreamWorks animated films. Baymax in particular makes for the most likeable (and adorable) animated character since Wall-E.

Baymax is bae.

The voice-acting here is spot-on, with each voice-actor knowing just when to be hilarious, serious and emotional throughout the course of the film. However, despite some great voice-work, the supporting team members of the Big Hero 6, namely GoGo, Wasabi and Honey Lemon, aren’t given as much screen-time and dialogue outside their superhero suits, which is a bit of a shame as I would have liked to learn more about these colorful characters. On the other hand, Hiro’s relationship with his brother and with Baymax is very well written and paced, giving audiences just enough character development for us to genuinely care for these characters, especially when the stakes get high and when the drama button is pushed. One scene in particular towards the climax may just make you tear. 

              If you’re a fan of the How To Train Your Dragon films, you may find some similarities in the growth between Hiro and Baymax’s relationship and Hiccup and Toothless’. A flying sequence in the middle of the film feels especially reminiscent of the first time we saw Hiccup and Toothless take to the skies, but for the most part, the two films are different enough for there not to be a fan war on which dynamic duo pair is the better one. They’re both special and heartfelt in their own right.

"It is alright to cry."

Another great thing about Big Hero 6 is the action, which is some of the most fun and intense I’ve seen in an animated film. The action also adds a big dose of fun to the film and gives it enough reason to be seen in 3D. I unfortunately did not get the chance to see it in the third dimension but the film sure looked like it would be great with the added depth.

Oh, and, this isn’t a complaint, but I noticed that with Frozen last year, Disney made a sister-sibling relationship film, and with Big Hero 6 this year, Disney’s made a brother-sibling relationship film, sort of, just in case the males felt a little left out last year. Haha. Plus, it seems that since Wreck-It Ralph, Disney has been trying to sneak in a twist-reveal for their films’ villains, and it’s present here in Big Hero 6. I won’t spoil who the villain is, but, I’m just saying that it’s a noticeable trend Disney’s had for their past few films, and it’s working; I like it. It adds to the story, so kudos to Disney and their writers for that.

The Big Hero 6

              Overall, Big Hero 6 is a wonderful animated film filled with enjoyable action, heartfelt emotion and downright loveable (Baymax) albeit slightly underdeveloped (GoGo, Honey Lemon, Wasabi) characters. It deals with themes of death and how people choose to react to it with the kind of heart and soul that only an animated film could. This is the best animated feature I’ve seen all year.

Final Verdict

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this film?"

On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate Big Hero 6 an 8 – I am quite satisfied with this film.

O----O