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| Courtesy of Disney |
Big
Hero 6 takes place in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo, suggesting an
upcoming explosion in the popularity of Japanese culture. Young genius Hiro
Hamada (Ryan Potter) is grieving the recent loss of his older brother Tadashi
(Daniel Henney), though it’s a comfort to have Baymax (Scott Adsit) around.
Tadashi created the adorable, marshmallow-esque inflatable robot as a
healthcare device, but Hiro uses him to help uncover the mysterious
circumstances surrounding his big brother’s death.
When
the investigation grows too dangerous for them to handle alone, Hiro calls on
their science-loving friends (Jamie Chung, Genesis Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr.
and T.J. Miller) for help. The result is a new team of high-tech superheroes
who use their specific skills to improve their crime-fighting abilities.
Although Big Hero 6 is a lot of setup for little payoff – it’s very much a comic
book origin story in the most frustrating way – there are several elements that
make it worth a watch. As you might have guessed from the trailers, Baymax is
the most entertaining element of the movie by far. He’s a success for a number
of reasons, including brilliant character design, spearheaded by co-directors
Don Hall and Chris Williams, and a smart screenplay credited to Robert L.
Baird, Daniel Gerson and Jordan Roberts.
But
the biggest contributing factor is Adsit’s vocal work, specifically his ability
to convey warmth and humor into monotone, minimalist dialogue. Despite a lack
of opportunities to emote, he’s still the main reason the flick earns its
tearjerker ending. (Parents, avoid the rush and track down a Baymax doll
immediately.)
The
rest of the cast also contributes strong work, particularly Potter and Miller,
and I appreciate the film’s unapologetic embrace of science and intelligence.
Also admirable: the female members of the team are as smart and brave as the
guys – they’re not just present in the story to be rescued or serve as romantic
conquests.
Like
most of Disney’s recent output, every second of the film is a visual wonder. The
amount of detail Hall and Williams, along with their animators, put into the
gorgeous, fictional city of San Fransokyo is astonishing.
Overall,
it seems most of the narrative problems I have with Big Hero 6 exist simply
because this is the first step in the studio’s franchise plans. Like many
superhero flicks, I’m guessing the sequel will be more exciting and
entertaining now that all the characters are established and the table is set.
As long as Baymax comes back, I’ll be there too.
Big Hero 6 is rated
PG for action and peril, some rude humor, and thematic elements.
Grade:
B
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