Film Premiere and Review - Big Hero 6
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Big Hero 6 is Disney's latest offering and a frontrunner for the Best Animation category at this year's Oscars (in light of The Lego Movie's exclusion). I'll admit that the name doesn't exactly strike you as a must-see movie, but after watching it at the UK premiere/gala screening yesterday, I can't stress strongly enough that this is a must-see movie. Big shout-out to Paul, Disney's best employee, for the invite!
Big Hero 6 takes our love of superheroes, unconventional heroes and teams of heroes, and mixes it with Disney's love of robots and adorable characters (and excellence at creating them). We all fell in love with Frozen's Olaf, and history is about to repeat one year later with the hugable Baymax. You'll be in for a fun-filled, save-the-world, futuristic treat for audiences both young and old. It's been well-received in many countries for months now, and will finally be released in the UK on 30th January.
Without going too much into plot detail, the main character is a genius teenager named Hiro. The film's set in a futuristic San Fransokyo (a hybrid city made up of San Francisco and Tokyo, whatwouldyaknow), and the kid is literally a genius. And note this is Disney, so nothing is impossible for him. A crew of self-imposed robotics nerds form an unlikely team - kinda like a child-friendly version of Kick Ass - to take on a masked villain. Obviously it's a lot more exciting than that, but I shall not be ruining your cinema viewing anytime soon.
It's not just a team of mismatched teenagers though; much of the film's value is born from Baymax, the cutest robot creation since Wall-E. Baymax is a healthcare companion, whose awkward inability to grasp human concepts makes hilarious viewing, and is also the irreplaceable sidekick. I mean, the dude knows karate and his fistbump is something else entirely. Turned into a not-so-secret lethal weapon by Hiro, he's the source of all the "aww" moments, the laughs, and he even made me cry a little bit. I have to commend the creators for creating such a special and memorable character - one of the standout assets of the film.
The film's storyline isn't as complicated as all the robotic science involved (don't worry, you don't actually have to understand it), but what makes it stand out for me is Hiro's character growth, clever writing and moments, and sheer heart of it. The animations are slick and pay great homage to the Japanese comic book feel, especially with Hiro's super spiky hair. Big Hero 6 may have a few superhero-origin/dramatic backstory cliches, and sure you may be able to make a few correct predictions here and there, but it is a thoughtful adventure. There's unexpected depth you wouldn't usually find in an animation about a kid who makes mind-powered robots and has a 3D printer.
Big Hero 6 has a noticeably different visual feel to Disney's usual animation offerings, but it's great to see the Japanese influence shine through, and ethnically-diverse main characters. It is a hugely entertaining watch, and you would not be forgiven for immediately writing it off without giving it a chance.
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