Grade: A-
“Big Hero 6” is the latest in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ lineup of films. It’s based off of a 1998 Marvel Comic titled “Sunfire and Big Hero 6.”
It falls in line with many recent Disney releases — in need of some polishing, but sincere.
While it can at times seem canned, at its heart it is a story about what happens to us when we lose someone we love.
Hiro, voiced by Ryan Potter, is a young and talented robot-builder living in the modge-podge fictional town of San Fransokyo (San Francisco and Tokyo, get it?).
He likes to gamble on robot fights.
His brother, Tadashi, introduces him to the world of scientific robotics at his university, along with a mash-up of his college-aged friends and one robot, Baymax, voiced by Scott Adsit, which Tadashi designed to be a robotic nurse.
Tadashi is killed suddenly in a plot device that seems a little forced, leaving Hiro alone with Baymax and his angst.
One fears Hiro will fall back into a life of illegal robot-fighting, until he and Baymax are attacked by a mysterious masked man who wants to destroy San Fransokyo.
Hiro must upgrade Baymax and form a superhero team out of the aforementioned group of Tadashi’s friends.
It makes me want to get into the science department.
The movie’s art has a retro feel, and the characters themselves are likeable do-gooders who want to help Hiro and save their town. The plot is that of a typical superhero movie, and nothing in it is too surprising.
But that’s not why one should watch it. The reason to see the movie is to watch the main character struggle with grief and loss.
Disney has become extremely adept at touching on adult themes in movies intended for a younger audience.
I saw it plainly in the 2013 box-office hit “Frozen.” The movie was able to not only be a flowery princess movie but also handle themes such as depression, anxiety and fear in a way that makes people think.
And “Frozen” is just one of many examples.
Hiro’s journey is not about his becoming a superhero but about his overcoming the loss of a loved one who died suddenly and violently, something that all ages could understand and relate to.
I’m sure there are a few Disney executives praying it becomes the next big franchise. I can already smell the Baymax plushies filling up the shelves at Toys-R-Us.
But “Big Hero 6,” as much as it is a fun ride and a good story, is a movie about forgiveness and grief.
And that’s what made it special.
