"We didn't set out to be superheroes but life doesn’t always go as planned." - Hiro Hamada
Initial thoughts before viewing: I never saw this movie in theaters but at some point I watched it on TV. This viewing would be my second time watching Big Hero 6 in its entirety.
If you'd like to read a recap of Big Hero 6, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the entire plot summary.
Highlights:
-Baymax steals the show. And I want to hug him. Big Hero 6 really gets interesting when our protagonist Hiro happens upon Baymax, his late brother Tadashi’s invention who is so viscerally huggable, you can practically squish him with your eyes. A calm in any storm, Baymax is dedicated to easing pain of all sorts and certainly performs that function for a grieving Hiro. He also has a great sense of physical humor and stumbles about as if drunk when his battery is low. Even his attempt at a fist bump is an ingenious running gag.
-Big Hero 6 is all about dealing with loss. Not since Bambi or The Lion King have I seen a Disney animated film tackle such a difficult and necessary subject like grief. Big Hero 6 is all about how little brother Hiro deals with Tadashi's tragic loss; the symptoms it causes, what happens when that loss makes you do bad things, and how to move on comfortably. It’s an interesting subject and one that is handled well throughout most of the film thanks to the strong relationship between Hiro and Baymax.
Disliked:
-You're telling me that hot Tadashi dies for NO REASON?! Tadashi is the best character in this movie (not to mention the cutest), and it's infuriating to find out that he perishes for absolutely no reason. Screw you, Professor Callaghan.
-The villain Professor Callaghan/Yokai is one-dimensional and sort of blah. This silent, kabuki-masked white male supervillain bent on exacting vengeance on behalf of his lost daughter is really very meh. He probably should have just channeled all that rage and passion into finding his missing daughter Abigail rather than going to opposite route, and you know, trying to kill people. Hurt people hurt people, I suppose!
Closing Thoughts:
Overall, Big Hero 6 is fast, funny and full of tiny quirks that show the effort the animators put into constructing these environments and characters. The film does suffer, however, from predictability, an undercooked antagonist, and a bloated-action packed third act which slows everything down. I also felt like there was no real resolution with Callaghan and his lost daughter (although we do know that she is recovered and alive at the end of the movie).
The bottom line: Good but not great, Big Hero 6 shines brightest when Baymax is on screen. A decent and inclusive addition to the Disney library, but by no means the best of the decade.
My Rating: 5.5/10
