When creating my top ten animated films of the 2010s, I contemplated waiting until Big Hero 6’s release; considering it the only animated film left which had a possibility of placing. I released the list anyway, compromising to give special notice if Big Hero 6 was good enough for placement. Having finally seen the film, I unfortunately found it did not exceed enough to make the list; nonetheless Big Hero 6 is far from a failure, being visually beautiful, funny and above all, enjoyable to watch.
With Disney now owning Marvel, it was inevitable there’d eventually be a combination (expect a Disney animated Star Wars in the future). Loosely based on a comic series no one knew of, Big Hero 6 takes place in the refreshingly cool hybrid of San Fransokyo (which if you haven’t already guessed, is a combination of the cities Cleveland and Yokohama). In a rather exposition-y start, the film introduces Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter); a 14 year old robotics expert living with his Aunt and brother after, in his own words, “our parents died when I was three remember” (Hiro says this to his brother, because his brother clearly forgot about such a devastating event and not solely as a way to provide info for the viewing audience…).
Hiro is accepted to his brother’s robotics university after an impressive display of microbot technology; however, tragedy strikes as an unexpected fire ends up killing his brother. Severely depressed, Hiro finds comfort in his brother’s last invention, a personal healthcare robot named Baymax (Scott Adsit). Together they accidentally discover Hiro's microbots not only survived the fire, but are now being used by a sinister mask-wearing man. Together with the help of Baymax, his university friends, and some super-powered suits, Hiro begins to investigate what really happened the night his brother died.
As with many of Disney’s CGI animations, Big Hero 6 shines best with its visuals and comedy. Combining San-Francisco’s slanted roads with Tokyo’s bustling culture, San Fransokyo provides many possibilities which the film uses to its advantage. Prominent examples include Hiro flying above the large city (resembling a modernized How to Train Your Dragon flight scene) and a flashy car chase involving the above mentioned roads. The city is pure eye candy full of bright and vibrant colors, emphasized by the main cast’s striking Tron-esque costume designs; I’d even say some of the costumes plagiarize Tron…if not for Disney owning said franchise..…they own everything now O_O.
As a superhero film, the animation works wonderfully in livening up our heroes and villain, particularly during the fight/chase sequences. I particularly enjoyed the fluency of the microbots (used as the villain’s choose of transportation and weaponry), possessing flexibility, creativity, and an almost lifelike quality. Unfortunately the superhero theme suffers from a family friendly tone; unlike The Incredibles, Big Hero 6 reframes from more mature aspects of its genre (save for a scene I’ll bring up later). One could see this as a positive, since superhero films are rarely appropriate for younger kids, yet for older audiences its more lighthearted tone may come across as simplistic…with the exception of its humor.
The humor is the characters’ saving grace, taking what could have been a group of mediocre stereotypes and turning them into an enjoyably likable cast; the comedic level of effectiveness however varies from childishly sweet to downright hilarious. The film’s best jokes can be pinpointed to three of the heroes: Baymax, Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr.), and Fred (T.J. Miller). From Baymax's fist-bumping, to Wasabi's high pitched squeal, to Fred’s…in no way a complete stoner attitude, these three bring home most (if not all) of the hilarious scenes. One of the funniest scenes comes from a bit of clever superhero satire, in which Wasabi uses his plasma blades to cut a hole through steel. The scene is quick and simple, yet (alongside the first animated Stan Lee cameo) is easily the wittiest moment of the film.
The biggest downfall of Big Hero 6 is its utter predictability. I could tell who the “surprise” villain was by the first ten minutes (I wrote down nearly word for word what Hiro's reaction would be to the villain's reveal), as well as correctly guessed which deaths were fake outs along with how they’d play out. The plot’s three act structure has been seen time and time again; it’s nothing new, and is saved thanks to its comedy, visuals, and likable cast. However (credit where credit’s due) there is a scene which caught me satisfyingly off guard, a rather intense, emotional and surprisingly dark scene involving the unmasking of the main villain. I thoroughly enjoyed such an unexpected scene (along with it's equally effective aftermath), which despite being the darkest moment of the film, balanced well with the rest of Big Hero 6’s atmosphere (being nowhere as twisted as How to Train Your Dragon 2’s grimness scene).
It’s a shame Big Hero 6 didn't come out in 2013, where it would have placed on my end of year list as both favorite animated and superhero film. With the overshadowing releases of Captain America: The Winter Soldier alongside The Lego Movie (and several other animated greats), Big Hero 6 doesn't stand a chance at placing this year; nonetheless, it is a worthy film of recommendation. Big Hero 6 is by no means The Incredibles (which is indeed incredible), but more than passes as a fun and entertaining time at the movies.