Title – Big Hero 6 (2014)
Directors – Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) and Chris Williams (Bolt)
Cast – (Voices of) Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, T.J Miller, Jamie Chung, Damon Wayans Jr, Genesis Rodriguez, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk, Daniel Henney
Plot – Inventive yet slightly aimless 14 year old Hiro’s (Potter) life is thrown upside down when his robot designing older brother Tadashi (Henney) is killed in a seemingly innocuous fire. Hiro discovers that there is more to the death of his brother however and also comes across one of his brothers designs, a robot by the name of Baymax (Adsit), together the two (along with Tadashi’s college buddies) will look to set things right.
“My brain hates my eyes for seeing this”
Review by Eddie on 30/03/2015
The first animated venture from Walt Disney studios that sees them unleash some of their Marvel material, Big Hero 6 is most certainly a young child’s fantasy come to life (and a parent’s wallet emptying nightmare, the film was 2014 largest animated earner at the Box Office) and an often inventive experience, yet it’s also a strangely hollow and instantly forgettable colour filled adventure that isn’t even a touch on last year’s more deserving Best Animated Feature Oscar nominee How to Train Your Dragon 2.
A big problem for the “big” film is that is just doesn’t do enough to make us really care for any of the characters and as all of us know it’s not hard for an animated movie to make us care, they’ve been making us laugh, scared and yes even cry since the dawn of animation and Big Hero just can’t really win us over in any of these stakes, even though at times the film feels as though it hits a new gear, only to be once more bought down by some below average storytelling and a finale so unoriginal even the little ones may find themselves starting nap time early. With a seen a million times before plot line and a seriously uninspiring villain, what makes Big Hero 6 worth your time is everyone’s new favourite robot and some truly fantastic animation designs.
The loveable lump of huggable goodness that is Baymax the robot is the clear winner here in Big Hero 6. Baymax is both adorable and interesting (something that can’t be said for lead whiz kid Hiro) and his animation design mixed with characterisation by Scott Adsit is a sight to behold. I’d go as far as to suggest that if Baymax was even half the creation he ended up as the film would’ve been far less popular. The other winning element of 6 is the fantastic design and animation work that sees Tokyo and San Francisco mould into one in the newly minted San Fransokyo. When the film sets flight through the streets or the skies above this city, 6 feels like a totally different film and a far more eventful one than it ends up being.
With a sluggish central story and some pretty tepid characters, bar a particularly awesome slacker college mascot in the form of T.J Miller’s Fred, Big Hero 6 feels like another overhyped Marvel adventure that is saved by a loveable robot and some visually arresting set pieces in a wonderfully designed futuristic city. Likely to be a favourite of young superhero loving boys in particular, Big Hero 6 is a sadly disappointing slice of CGI that for most of us will be utterly forgettable.
2 and a half fist pumps out of 5
In my opinion, the movie could’ve improved had Hero, rather than attempting to turn the characters into superheroes with vaguely defined powers, brought the group together to invent a solution, robot, or stronger tools for them to use. The superhero aspect of the film felt forced. I agree with most of your review, and definitely that How to Train Your Dragon 2 deserved the Oscar more. I did enjoy the film overall though! Baymax was adorable, brilliant achievement in character design. I think Hero’s appeal was also in his character’s appearance and cuteness, as well as the audience’s sympathy for his motivation.
Some cool thoughts there, I would’ve loved to see those superhero tropes avoided more so in a less predictable manner. That finale was a real low point.
E
I really couldn’t drum up any enthusiasm for this film, it just doesn’t look interesting.
After all the positive reviews mate I found myself looking forward to it but yeh was left very cold by it.
E
Reblogged this on Eclectic Pursuits.
Wow. I really loved it I thought the story clipped along very well and the villains motivations were interesting. I especially liked the way the relationship of the brothers is a motivating force throughout the picture. ‘Tadeshi is here’ scene gets me every time. I loved the diversity of the team and how they were superheroes based on their brains not on any kind of science experiment gone wrong. I thought it had such heart. Oh well.
I was actually happy with Big Hero 6 win because if the 2 foreign films weren’t going to win I feel that Dragon and Boxtrolls were less original than Big Hero 6. I loved all 3 but I’ve seen movies like Dragon and Boxtrolls before where Big Hero 6 felt new and I thought it had something for everyone.
Glad you dug it Smiling. I wish I liked it a lot more.
E
Yeah too bad. Thanks for reviewing it!
Its interesting because I feel like boys I know are not as high on Big Hero 6 which is surprising since it is about 2 brothers. I wonder if at least for me having not seen that many superhero movies the story didn’t feel as stale to me as to others. I’m in general not a big superhero fan although last year was a great year for the genre. Who knows.
We loved this movie! Not much in it for the adults, but a massive hit with Andie!
Glad she dug it – it’s pretty colourful and there is a lot going on, hype might of killed this one for me sadly. Baymax was the man (robot?) though! What a champion.
E
I can see the validity of the points you are making, but I love that movie and feel the characters did move me. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but Hiro, Baymax and the team have me longing for a sequel.
Great to hear buddy.
E
I am completely with you. I was so bored I struggled to stay awake.
Haha happy to hear of another one on my side Abbi, I dono what it was but this one just did not get me from the very beginning.
E
This is one of those movies that worked a lot better in the theater in my opinion.