There’s no doubt that Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest production, “Big Hero 6,” is going to be an instant hit. After all, it takes the action of the Marvel comic on which it is loosely based and pairs it with the emotional storytelling for which Disney is known.
When the film opens, we find ourselves in San Fransokyo, a city that appears just as it sounds — an idealized combination of San Francisco and Tokyo. Viewers will recognize landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Victorian houses, that have Japanese aspects added to their architecture. This sort of twist on the design, along with the colorful graphics and beautiful 3D effects, certainly shows the influence of Japanese anime on other styles of animation being produced today.
San Fransokyo is the home of Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter) and his older brother, Tadashi Hamada (voiced by Daniel Henney). The pair live with their Aunt Cass (voiced by Maya Rudolph) above a cafe that the family owns. The brothers are both gifted in robotics technology, but Hiro is at a crossroads. He has graduated from high school at age 13 and spends his time building “bots” (short for robots) to fight in matches where owners and audience members bet illegally on the outcome. Tadashi believes that Hiro should join him at an exclusive robotics program at the nearby university and devises a plan to convince Hiro.
During an impromptu tour of the Nerd Lab at the university, Hiro meets Tadashi’s eclectic band of friends in the department: GoGo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon and Fred. They each show Hiro their ambitious robotics projects, but, of course, nothing can top Tadashi’s — the lovable, huggable Baymax. Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit) is a “heath care companion” that Tadashi has programmed to diagnose and treat 10,000 medical problems. Hiro is impressed by Baymax and the other projects and decides to apply to the school.
The movie’s early themes that science is cool and smart kids are rewarded may be heavy-handed, but they are ones that children need to hear again and again. In today’s educational arena where anti-bullying and anti-drug messages take center stage, it’s nice to see positive messages presented in a format that kids can relate to.
During Hiro’s demonstration of his microbot project that he is submitting as an application, he offers further inspiration that Disney fans will recognize. “If you can think it, microbots can do it,” he says. Arguably the most famous quotation attributed to Walt Disney is “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
It’s at this point that events propel the kids into superhero roles. I don’t want to give too many spoilers, so let’s just say that the action picks up significantly and we have a classic comic-book battle of good vs. evil. Unfortunately, the motives of the bad guys might be a little murky for some younger viewers, which leave them scratching their heads.
Still, the 3D technology is put to good use in showing the many and varied ways Hiro’s microbots can move. Thousands of the tiny robots are attracted to each other and then can be commanded through a neurotransmitter to work together to transport goods and people. In other words, a wearer of a headpiece can command the microbots to act just by his thoughts.
Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams shine when it comes to showing the relationship between Hiro and Baymax. Viewers will not doubt that a robot can feel the same emotions as humans and that the once-introverted Hiro has found a best friend in an inflatable bot. When I saw “Big Hero 6” at an advance screening, large segments of the audience alternately laughed and sniffled throughout the movie.
“Big Hero 6” is a movie experience that the whole family can enjoy together.
Be sure to get to the theater a few minutes early for “Big Hero 6” because you won’t want to miss the accompanying Disney short. “Feast” is the story of a dog’s journey from a homeless mutt to a cherished family member, and it’s cleverly told by showing the different table scraps he receives at transitional times in his owners’ lives.
DISCLAIMER: I viewed “Big Hero 6” at a media screening before its official release. This did not affect my review; my opinions are my own.
Don’t forget to stay to the end of the credits for a bonus scene.