Movie review: 'Big Hero 6'

This is a superhero origin story that doesn’t really feel like an origin story. There’s a waft of good-natured familiarity in the whole thing, but the feeling is that of a warm welcome back rather than a cold beginning

'Big Hero 6'
Starring: Ryan Potter, TJ Miller
Director: Don Hall, Chris Williams
Rating: 

There are plenty of superhero films out there and it’s made the genre sort of musty. So what does Disney’s attempt at a superhero movie offer that others don’t? Plenty, but here are ten of the best:

1) This is a superhero origin story that doesn’t really feel like an origin story. There’s a waft of good-natured familiarity in the whole thing, but the feeling is that of a warm welcome back rather than a cold beginning.

2) This is an animation film but it’s not just for kids. In fact it nails the conundrum that most modern animation films have – the balance between entertaining kids and keeping adults interested. There is plenty of stuff for children to enjoy, and just the right amount of adult stuff to keep the bigger children interested.

A poster of 'Big Hero 6'. Pic/Santa Banta

3) The setting of the film itself is amazing. We’re introduced to San Fransokyo, a hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo, and everything about the place is a mélange of both Japanese and American cultures. It’s never been done before and it’s quite eye popping to look at.

4) The animation itself is out of this world. Disney has used some new animation software and supercomputers to render the frames in the movie, and it shows. Some objects are so real you won’t believe they’re computer animated pixels. And yet the film does a good job of looking like a kids film rather than actual reality.

5) The most important aspect of an animation movie – the characters – are quite wonderful. The geeky protagonist Hiro Hamada is a charming little fellow, without the clichéd characteristics of a Hollywood movie geek. It’s also refreshing to see a protagonist who is exactly like any other kid, yet has something extraordinary packed below the surface.

6) The single most lovable thing in this movie is Hiro’s robot Baymax. He’s fat, awkward, and hilarious as hell, and also incredibly powerful when the action begins. He also makes you cry a couple of times, and you’ll hate the filmmakers for making you go through that.

7) The superhero group is also a lot of fun – the ensemble is like a mini version of the Avengers, where each of them has a special power but are too young to harness it properly. The trial and error montage in the film itself is worth the ticket.

8) After a long time we see a villain who seems genuinely terrifying. The kind of power he possesses in the film gives you a devastatingly huge scale and scope or the destruction he’d cause. The skirmishes the heroes have with the villain, especially a high-speed car chase, are also really cool.

9) The humor quotient of the film is high. You’ll be laughing like a maniac throughout the film, especially with (and sometimes at) Fredzilla, who wears a Godzilla costume because he loves the character so much.

10) The film has a surprising amount of repeat value, both in cinemas and on home video. To know why, just go and see the film already, and take everyone you know with you.

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!