Review: Disney's 'Big Hero 6'

It's been said many times, and even mocked by Saturday Night Live, that Marvel can basically turn anything into a box office smash. The top-grossing movie of the year is Guardians of the Galaxy, for chrissakes, based on a comic book practically nobody read and less had heard of.  When Marvel and Disney essentially merged, it brought on a new challenge in territory that had yet to be conquered: animation. Big Hero 6 is the first Disney animated feature based on a Marvel property, and it's both the strangest choice and the perfect one. Blending super-powered heroics with kid-friendly action and an ethnically-diverse cast, Big Hero 6 has something for everybody to love.

Big Hero 6 is based on a super obscure manga-influenced miniseries from years ago; so obscure it makes the Guardians of the Galaxy look like the X-men. While Disney has made some significant changes in the transition to the screen, honoring its Japanese roots certainly hasn't been lost. Shedding the typical Disney homogenization and honoring a merger of many different cultures, it's safe to say this is one of the best looking Disney animated films ever made, certainly unlike anything in their vast catalog of classics. Set in San Fransokyo, a futuristic combination of San Francisco and Tokyo, a gorgeous blend of new and old world charms, the story centers on robotics genius Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) and his equally brainy older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney). Orphaned at a young age, the two now live with their eager aunt (Maya Rudolph), using their intellect in very different ways. While Tadashi studies at a prestigious university, Hiro builds robots and earns money fighting them in underground tournaments. Sensing his little bro may be on the wrong path, Tadashi brings him to the school where Hiro is blown away by the awesome stuff being built by the other geeks: the spunky racer Go-Go (Jamie Chung) Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr) the laser enthusiast; Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez) is a chemistry expert; and Fred (TJ Miller) is basically Shaggy minus his Scooby-Doo companion.

The character that is sure to become a phenomenon in his own right is the lovable, cherubic Baymax (Scott Adsit). Basically a giant stuffed balloon robot, Baymax is pretty much impossible to resist. Designed by Tadashi as a nurse robot, Baymax is clumsy, lumbering, and helpful to a fault. When tragedy strikes the university and Tadashi is killed, he becomes an outlet for Hiro's grief and a willing companion. Somebody out there caused the explosion that got Tadashi killed, it’s up to Hiro, Baymax, and his newly souped-up nerd pals to uncover the truth.  Basically, Big Hero 6 is a classic superhero origin story, one alive with energy, humor, and even a few dark turns. It actually works best as Hiro and his pals are hanging out, joking, and using their intellect to design their wondrous powers, and it's so much fun that we almost forget there's a bad guy out there to be caught.

While there are plenty of laughs to be found, mostly through the constantly-bumbling Baymax, there's also a serious journey of self-discovery that Hiro must endure. Learning to cope with loss, making new friends, and using his genius for good are all lessons Hiro must learn, but there are plenty more that the story merely touches upon. In fact there are too many messages the screenplay wants to get across, throwing them at us a mile a minute. It's a distraction from what we truly want to see more of and that's the relationship between Hiro and Baymax. Threatening for a while to become a pet/master situation, Baymax's ever-present connection to Tadashi becomes an emotional touchstone, one that never fades away through the robot's silly antics. As a healing robot it's his programming to help Hiro through his brother's death, but in a way he becomes a surrogate sibling. Its touching stuff, some of the most emotional Disney has ever dared in a film geared at young audiences. I dare you not to shed a tear when Baymax asks if Hiro is satisfied with his care.

Directed by Don Hall, who gave us the excellent Winnie the Pooh a couple of years ago, and Chris Williams (Bolt), Big Hero 6 looks amazing. A merging of Eastern and Western influences, San Fransokyo is both fascinating and a little bit scary, with new wondrous discoveries to be made around every corner. When Baymax gets his new winged battle armor, he and Hiro embark on a soaring test flight that actually surpasses anything we saw in How to Train Your Dragon. Unfortunately, his new armor also signals a turn away from the character work that was so enjoyable and an emphasis on standard superhero action. There's nothing technically wrong with any of it, but nor is it especially inspired. We just really want to watch Baymax try to squeeze his fat body in and out of tight spaces, or patch up holes with duct tape, or learn how to fist bump. Can we get more of that please? No seriously, can we get more of Big Hero 6? There's so much to adore here that a sequel is an absolute must.  It's another big victory for Disney and Marvel, and to think this is just scratching the surface of their potential. Yes, Big Hero 6, I am more than satisfied with my care.

 Rating: 4 out of 5