Film Review #102: Big Hero 6

I have to be fair here.  Big Hero 6 had a lot to prove for itself when it first came out last Fall.  Whenever an animated film (or any film for that matter) follows up a film that was so brilliant that it is almost impossible to compete with it, it puts an unbearable amount of pressure on the new film.  A direct comparison point with this film can be drawn from another Disney animated film that followed an immensely popular movie: Pocahontas.  There was almost no chance of either of these films surpassing The Lion King or Frozen in any meaning of the word.  How could this film even come close to matching something as emotionally enthralling as it's predecessor?

To be quite frank, I was very underwhelmed when I saw this film.  Not only is this film not in the same wavelength as Frozen or any of the other Disney Classics, I'm not even sure this would rank in my Top 25 Disney Films.  It's not that the film is bad, but it was just a good film with nothing too special about it.

Plot: (Taken From Wikipedia) Hiro Hamada is a 14-year-old robotics genius who lives in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo. Raised by his aunt and older brother Tadashi after the death of his parents, he spends his time participating in illegal robot fights. To redirect Hiro, Tadashi takes him to the robotics center at his university, where Hiro meets Tadashi's friends: GoGo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and Fred, as well as the healthcare companion robot Baymax that Tadashi created. To enroll in the school, Hiro signs up for the school's science fair and presents microbots: swarms of tiny robots that can link together in any arrangement imaginable. Professor Callaghan, the head of the school's robotics program, is impressed, and Hiro is accepted into the university. Alastair Krei, a businessman and president of Krei Tech, attempts to buy the microbots, but with Callaghan's advice, Hiro declines to sell them. When a fire breaks out at the university, Tadashi rushes in to rescue Callaghan and is killed in an explosion.

Several weeks later, a depressed Hiro accidentally activates Baymax, who follows Hiro's last microbot to an abandoned warehouse. There, the two discover that someone has been mass-producing Hiro's microbots, and they are attacked by a Kabuki-masked man controlling the bots. To catch the man, Hiro equips Baymax with armor and a battle chip containing various karate moves. After the masked man attacks Hiro, Baymax, GoGo, Wasabi, Honey, and Fred, the six form a superhero team. The six go to Fred's mansion and begin to plan, and Hiro superpowers his friends with powers pertaining to their field of science. Suspecting that Krei stole the microbots and caused the explosion, they discover a secret, disused Krei Tech laboratory, which was researching teleportation technology until the disappearance of a test pilot. While detaining the masked man, they discover him to be Professor Callaghan, who started the fire as a distraction to steal Hiro's bots while leaving Tadashi to die. An enraged Hiro removes Baymax's healthcare chip (leaving only the battle chip) and orders him to kill Callaghan. Baymax almost does so, but Honey re-installs the healthcare chip to stop him. Furious at his friends' intervention, Hiro storms off with Baymax. When Hiro tries to remove the healthcare chip again, Baymax stops him, saying that vengeance is not what Tadashi would've wanted. This causes Hiro to break down, yelling that Tadashi is gone. To console him, Baymax plays several humorous videos of Tadashi running tests during Baymax's development. A remorseful Hiro later apologizes to his friends, who forgive him, and the team reunites to stop Callaghan.

The group discovers that the vanished test pilot in Krei's lab was Callaghan's daughter Abigail, and that Callaghan is seeking revenge on Krei for his daughter's apparent death. Callaghan attempts to kill Krei and destroy his headquarters by sucking both into a teleportation portal with no exit. The team saves Krei and destroys the microbots; but the portal remains active. Baymax detects Abigail inside, alive but in hypersleep, and he and Hiro leap into the portal to rescue her. After finding Abigail's podship, the thrusters on his damaged armor fail, and Baymax uses his armor's right-hand rocket fist to propel Hiro and Abigail back towards the portal opening and stays behind. Hiro and Abigail make it back, and Callaghan is arrested. Sometime later, Hiro discovers Baymax's healthcare chip (which contains his entire personality) clenched in his rocket fist, and rebuilds him, whereafter the six friends continue their exploits through the city, fulfilling Tadashi's hope of helping those in need.

During the end credits, it is shown through newspaper headlines that Hiro has been awarded a grant from the university, where a building has been dedicated to Tadashi. In a post-credits scene, Fred accidentally opens a secret door in his family mansion and finds superhero gear inside. His father, a retired superhero, arrives stating that they have a lot to talk about as they embrace.

What's Bad?: One of the many criticisms the new Marvel films are being given are the lack of appeal from the supporting casts.  Thor's friends in Asgard along with Jane's assistant are viewed very lukewarmly, while a good portion of the new members of the Avengers are not going to get development (Black Panther, Spider Man, Captain Marvel, etc.).  The same can be said about the supporting cast in this film.  They're kooky, supportive, and fun to an extent, but none are able to develop strong personalities.  Maybe Disney plans to build this up as another Marvel Franchise, but I digress.

Also, I found I couldn't really find myself liking the villain, Professor Callaghan.  He lacks the appeal of most of the villains that preceded him and the many Marvel Villains he would be joining.  I mean, at least Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man was at least a likable douche.  But this character's motivation is as basic as it goes and his overall turn did not make me feel surprised.  I guess I'm getting too old for these films...

What's Good?: Baymax, on the other hand, was a real refreshing comedic and heartfelt character to me.  Usually, a side character is either heartfelt and sincere (Kala or Mufasa), or just there to be comic relief (Timon and Pumbaa, Mr. Smee, Mushu, Olaf).  But there are some who can walk the boundary between both perfectly (Baloo, The Genie, Charlotte LeBouff, the Beast's servants).  Baymax fits in alongside these gems.  Not only does he serve as a friend and a partner to Hiro, but also as a replacement for his deceased brother.  He looks out for Hiro and keeps him on the straight and narrow path.  Baymax makes the movie for me, but he doesn't have the power those other characters in their own movies has above.

Also, while I don't think the film as a whole matches well with Frozen, I think the animation is still the best in the business (outside of How to Train Your Dragon 2, which deserved to win the Oscar over this).  The animation is fast paced, brisk and colorful enough to keep Disney a cut above it's competition, which still relies on the style over substance approach.

Overall: Aside from Baymax and the animation, Big Hero 6 has little to push it into the elite Disney Animation category.  It's not funny and witty like Aladdin, captivating or groundbreaking like Frozen, or as powerful and moving as Fantasia or The Lion King.  Nevertheless, if this is going to be one hiccup in Disney's continued Second Renaissance, I will without a doubt go and see their next film...whatever it ends up being...

Final Grade: 80 or B-