Big Hero 6

The new Disney movie Big Hero 6 is a fantastic mix of heart and action, and it quiets any skeptics who might claim that Disney has lost its animation touch. 

Big Hero Six takes a fresh approach to the young superheroes genre. The film is loosely based on an obscure Marvel comic about a team of young superheroes who fought crime in Tokyo. Big Hero 6, which updates the setting to a modern combination of Tokyo and San Francisco dubbed San Fransokyo, is centered around Hiro Yamada, a 14-year-old boy-genius who squanders his talents competing in illegal robot fights and getting in trouble with local gangsters.

After his brother’s death, Hiro sinks into a depression, pulled out finally by his brother’s invention, a medical robot named Baymax, who instinctively tries to help Hiro get out of his funk. A mysterious villain named Yokai begins wreaking havoc in the city and Hiro believes he has something to do with his brother’s death. Hiro puts together a team of technology-savvy superheroes and sets out to thwart the villain.

Disney hit this film out of the park, creating a visually-stunning city that comes alive beautifully on the screen. One of the things that sets this movie apart is that the characters are all intelligent—they use their intelligence rather than mere brawn to combat Yokai. For instance, one character, Gogo Tomago, attaches bicycle wheels to her limbs for fast maneuverability, while another character uses his knowledge of plasma energy manipulation to create different weapons.

The film feels grounded in real mechanics, where the physics of the robots and their inventions seem convincingly realistic.

It would be easy to mistake this for a Pixar film, as its animation is on par with any made yet. And the beauty of the film’s mechanics make it a joy to watch and listen to.

One of the knocks on the film is its pacing. It often rushes through scenes rather than letting them breath. And the tone occasionally shifts rapidly between serious and comedy, which can feel forced.

But these minor hiccups don’t keep the film from being an amazing addition to Disney’s new push which keeps bringing hits to the screen. 

Whether a film will be about a popular comic book or an obscure cult hit Disney will shine its quality light upon it and produce a classic.