While utterly conventional, ‘Big Hero 6’ is an agreeably sweet new movie from Disney.
Let it be known if it wasn’t already: this is the time of the superheroes. Between now and the next six years, there are at least 30 superhero movies in production and half a dozen caped-theme shows in the works as well. It’s all a little overbearing, but if most end up good, then there’s no real need to complain.
Though if they end up like Disney’s latest Big Hero 6, they may progress as enjoyable but forgettable. Not too different than many other Marvel movies seem to be these days.
Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter), a highly intelligent 14-year-old orphan boy in San Fransokoyo, uses his hyper intelligence to build fighting robots and earn gambling bills in street fights. Much to the disappointment of his older brother Tadashi (voiced by Daniel Henney) and his caretaking aunt, Cass (voiced by Maya Rudolph), who try to keep him in line. Feeling the need to put his brother’s intelligence to good use, Tadashi shows Hiro his work center, filled with zany co-workers like Go Go (voiced by Jamie Chung), Wasabi (voiced by Damon Wayans Jr.), Honey Lemon (voiced by Genesis Rodriguez) and Fred (voiced by T.J. Miller).
More importantly, however, Tadashi introduces his younger brother to a creation of his set to make his impact on the young adult very soon: Baymax, a tall but plushy and ultra-huggable robot assistant, who checks on one’s health and well-being. When a tragic accident leaves Hiro with one less role model in his life, Baymax becomes something of a father figure vitally missing in Hiro’s life. But when a corporation head has an evil plan in mind using one of Hiro’s inventions, he’ll use his robot companion and Tadashi’s co-workers to form a band of superheroes: the Big Hero 6.
When Baymax is on screen, Big Hero 6 sings. He is the heart and soul of the new animated feature, and his dry delivery and expressive body language make for one of the Mouse House’s most inspired creations in some time. Don’t be surprised to see Baymax take Olaf’s heat, as the movie grows more popular in the mainstream concise. For as charming, funny and entertaining as the robot is, though, he ‘s literally the film’s saving grace. For all too often, Big Hero 6 seems just too satisfied with a substandard mentality of sticking with conventional storytelling and generic character arcs.
The script, written by Jordan Roberts, Daniel Gerson and Robert L. Baird based on the comics of the same name by Duncan Rouleau and Steven T. Seagle, feels like it needs a rewrite. If just to give the movie the extra punch of life and spark of creativity needed to excel. As it is, Big Hero 6 seems too mild manner in its narrative journey, replacing strong comedic beats with overly loud characters and a hyper-realized sense of pacing. With that said, however, there’s an earnestness and sweetness inside the movie clearly demonstrating the creative inspiration at the center of this film.
Directed by Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) and Chris Williams (Bolt), there’s no denying the movie has a heart. Much like Baymax, its main goal is to please. It’s certainly an agreeable watch. So it’s just a shame the creativity, coming so naturally in creating this robot, couldn’t be found in its screenwriting process and storytelling mechanisms.
Especially when it comes to its other characters, Big Hero 6 seems either unmotivated to break typical story structures, or seems too confident in being pastiche. Either way, the dialogue seems just too on the nose, and its plot leaves room for more than a few questionable story mechanisms and plot holes. All too many times, the drum in the movie’s main beat is on autopilot, getting through the motions to get to the moments it is really interested in: its action sequences or its comedic growth segments. Therefore, the moments meant to stir emotions don’t quite land their fall because of this.
Still, there’s a lot to enjoy in Big Hero 6. The editing, from Tim Mertens, is very smooth, keeping the movie moving at a good clip. While the character designs are a bit unimaginative, the physical comedy moments with Baymax always click. It also balances its tones well, and always leaves room for character growth. It’s just that these moments of character resolution have all been done before, several times.
It doesn’t rank as a Disney classic, but at the very least, Big Hero 6 is a likably passable film. It doesn’t offend or challenge, but it makes good use of its set pieces and always finds little ways to keep its sympathies in check. It won’t break the door down, and The Lego Movie remains the animated film champ of the year so far. But there is no denying that, at least when Baymax is stealing the screen, Big Hero 6 earns your affection and sincerity.
