‘Big Hero 6’ Review
When I first heard that Disney had acquired Marvel Comics and were developing an animated feature based on an obscure, antianxiety online review, three-issue comic-book series about a team of colourful Japanese heroes, my initial reaction was of general apathy and disappointment. From the average Chicken Little to the excellent Frozen, via Bolt, The Princess and the Frog, Wreck-it-Ralph and undoubtedly their highlight so far, Tangled, as a long-time Disney fan it’s been great to track their recovery from the doldrums of Home on the Range over the last decade and a bit. I was a little worried that this was going to be a backwards step for them, in the same vein as Atlantis: The Lost Empire was in 2001.
I needn’t have worried as Disney have knocked this one out of the park. Big Hero 6 is a lively and exhilarating action-comedy that the whole family will enjoy. It is a confident entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe that, like The Incredibles before it, strengthens the argument that animation is better suited to superhero action than live-action. The film wears its many influences on its sleeve quite openly – from the previously mentioned Incredibles, a bit of ET, a touch of Wall-E and a sprinkle of My Neighbour Totoro – but the film that it is most referential too, narratively and tonally, is The Iron Giant and its tale of a burgeoning friendship between a lonely young boy and sentient Automaton, in this case the relationship between the aptly named Hiro (Ryan Potter) and his “personal health-care companion” Baymax (Scott Adsit).
Hugs
Set in the fictional city of San Fransokyo, a futuristic fusion of American and Japanese cultures, the 14 year-old robotics genius makes a living hustling his own prize robot at underground ‘bot fights. Both he and his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) are orphans who live above their Aunt’s diner. Tadashi, being something of a robotics genius himself, is studying the subject at College and he encourages Hiro to give up his bot-fighting and enroll on the same course where he meets fellow robotics nerds Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez), Go Go Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr) and comic-book obsessed slacker, Fred (TJ Miller). Co-directors Chris Wiliams (Bolt) and Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) expertly handle the kinetic action sequences and the multiculturally-fused environments. San Fransokyo is a colourful blend of neon-soaked alleyways, suburban hills and futuristic, Miyazaki-inspired sky-turbines. This city is vibrant and teeming with life.
San Fransokyo vista
The film does a tremendous job of setting up and exploring the brothers’ relationship at the beginning. It’s no secret (it’s in the trailers people) that Hiro tragically loses his older brother and the loss is keenly felt thanks to this early character development. Hiro’s loss is the catalyst to move the plot forward and just as he begins to spiral into depression and loneliness he discovers his late brother’s last invention Baymax, a “Nurse-bot” who is very much the heart of the movie. Like a vinyl cross between a cheery Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and E.V.E. he is a masterclass in minimalist character design; Basically a walking balloon, with an emoticon for a face, physically awkward but oh so appealing and instantly lovable. Every sequence he’s featured in is stronger for him being on screen. His developing relationship with Hiro provides the most humorous and heartwarming moments of the film. Even when eventually “weaponised” by Hiro, squished into a scarlet exo-suit with rocket-fists and programmed with an array of Kung-Fu moves faster than you can say “The Matrix”, he still projects an endearingly klutzy aura. As the owner of a brand new Baymax mug, I predict another merchandising win for Disney.
Baymax and Hiro say hello
The plot is possibly the weaker element of the film as it eventually turns into a Scooby Doo-style, “Mystery of the Week” story, as Hiro and his new friends set out to discover the identity of a creepy Kabuki-faced villain who has stolen one of Hiro’s robotic inventions and may be behind the death of his brother and his College mentor. The voice cast do a great job, with Adsit being the stand-out as the monotone Baymax and T.J. Miller doing his best Shaggy from Scooby Doo impression. In a break from the norm, the cast isn’t particularly celebrity heavy, with James Cromwell (as Tadashi’s College mentor, Robert Callaghan) and current Disney favourite Alan Tudyk (now voicing his third consecutive Disney animation role) being the most famous of the cast. The rest of the team aren’t given much of a chance of character development and are only lightly fleshed-out as a range of stereotypes – the “cool” one, the “germaphobe”, the “ditzy” one – with Fred probably given the most focus, though they are all equally likable and engaging. It’s nice to see that the female characters aren’t there to act as romantic foils for the male characters and get to contribute to the team and kick more butt than the guys. Hopefully we’ll get to see the team developed further in the inevitable sequel ($430 million taken so far since October worldwide and an 89% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes would suggest that it’s been received pretty favourably.)
Big Hero 6 Team Banner
It’s refreshing to see a film that celebrates smarts for a change. It is pure wish-fulfillment as Hiro designs and develops hi-tech suits for himself and the gang with his industrial-sized 3D printer. None of these kids start with super-powers, their only real weapons are their intelligence and creativity. They build their own technology and learn how to develop their new skills, first individually and then as a team through trial and error. Highlights include a frenetic car-chase through the roller-coaster streets of San Fransokyo and an adrenaline-charged rocket-flight through the skies as Hiro tests the capabilities of Baymax’s suit. The funniest sequence is undoubtedly when Hiro discovers the consequences of Baymax’s battery running low, the character animation and voice-acting in this sequence is superb.
Big Hero 6 is on General release in the UK from Friday 30th January. Get there early in time for the charming, Oscar-nominated short Feast directed by Patrick Osborne (also Animation Co-Director on Big Hero 6). Oh – and stay for the Marvel-staple, post-credits sting. Very funny.