Most famous computer animation studios have tackled an original superhero film. First Pixar did one with "The Incredibles", then DreamWorks did another with "Megamind", and now Disney Animation Studios has tackled the genre with "Big Hero 6". For those who don't know, Disney famously acquired the comic book publisher Marvel in 2009 giving them ownership to many famous superheroes. The team Big Hero 6 was one of them, however, the artists decide to take a risk and make a loose adaptation of the heroes by making an original story and also redevelop the characters. That risk sure paid off. This movie is fantastic. It's both heartwarming and thrilling which is what I expect from an animated superhero movie.
In the futuristic city of San Fransokyo (which is a combination of Tokyo and San Fransisco), fourteen-year-old Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) has recently graduated high school and has been participating in illegal robot fights. Being a genius in robotics, his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) wants him to enroll in the Institute of Technology. The only way to get in, however, is to create an invention that shows his talents and also impress the head of the institute, Professor Callaghan (James Cromwell). After impressing him with microbots, Hiro is accepted. However, his happiness is short-lived as a fire breaks out in the institute killing both Callaghan and Tadashi. Weeks later, Hiro accidentally activates his late brother's healthcare robot Baymax (Scott Adsit) and also finds out a mysterious person wearing a Kabuki mask has stolen his microbots and is planning to attack. After Tadashi's friends Fred (T.J. Miller), GoGo (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans, Jr.) and Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez) also discover the secret, the six decide to try to take down the mysterious Kabuki mask person with high tech superhero gear which results in some of the movies thrilling moments. It may sound confusing from what I wrote, but once you watch it you'll find that it's easy to follow.
The story is what I love most about this movie. Despite being a loose adaptation, the film felt very original as if the people at Disney and not Marvel created the characters. The story also had some heartwarming moments involving Hiro and Baymax. The friendship between the two is genuine and you really feel for both of them. The animation is also spectacular. The cityscape of San Fransokyo was really appealing to the eye in my opinion. It didn't look like any city I had seen in any animated movie I have seen. I also think that action is very well handed which makes the film lead to a very exciting climax. The characters are also very likable, partially Baymax. He leads to some of the films funniest and emotional moments. I think the only other animated robot character that was both funny and emotional was Wall-E. As for the other characters, they're also a lot of fun. They have very relatable personalities and also have funny moments which is what I want to see in a Disney movie.
"Big Hero 6" is not only a great family movie, but it's also a great superhero movie as well. With it's humorous, emotional, and thrilling moments, it will probably be remembered as one of the best-animated superhero movies. Considering that most superhero movies nowadays are mostly Marvel and DC films, it felt refreshing to watch an original superhero film with original characters and an original story. I really enjoyed it. Also, for those Marvel fans, Stan Lee does have a cameo appearance in the film. You just have to stay after the credits to watch it.
