The Robot, Baymax, is the Only Reason to Watch "Big Hero 6"

Rating: 6/10 (1 February 2015)

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Given how advanced computer animation has developed and continues to develop, and considering that Walt Disney, the king of animation, now owns the film rights to nearly all of the Marvel Universe, it's a bit surprising that this is the first big-budget Marvel superhero animated film to be produced. Perhaps because it's something of an experiment, they chose to do it with a more obscure title like "Big Hero 6".
The story is based only loosely on the comic book group. For instance, in the comic, Baymax (the lovable inflatable robot featured on all the posters and marketing material) is a synthetic bodyguard capable of metamorphosing into a dragon, created by 13 year old computer genius Hiro, using the brain engrams of his dead father. In the film, Hiro is still a teen prodigy, but Baymax is built by his older brother as a medical robot. Hiro, who graduated high-school early, decides to go to the same university as his older brother where he hopes to join the robotic department, which his brother and an eccentric group of students inhabit.
A fire breaks out at a science exhibit for university hopefuls where Hiro is demonstrating his own invention called Microbots. His brother and a professor die in the fire. This kick starts the plot into motion when later a super-villain emerges using the same microbot technology, and Hiro gathers his fellow robotic students together to form a superhero team. The central mystery, which is merely identifying the villain, is the film's weakest aspect. It's pretty obvious who he is. As in a lot of mysteries, you simply have to look for the minor character played by (or voiced by in this case) a popular actor.
A computer-animated mash-up of Japanese and American cultures (it takes place in San Fransokyo - a dream rendering of San Francisco and Tokyo), "Big Hero 6" is a friendship tale and an action flick that winds up lost in translation. The story initially centers on Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter), a kid genius, and his relationship with Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit), a puffy bag of air who resembles an un-toned version of the Michelin Man. Baymax is a lovable, hugable inflatable robot — who doesn't want one of those? — and he belongs in a movie more lovable and hugable than "Big Hero 6."
The world already has plenty of superheroes, of course, and "Big Hero 6," falters as a superhero movie. The relationship between Baymax and Hiro provides enough to play with, and "Big Hero 6" didn't need to turn into a loud, cluttered action film, but that's where the story goes. Hiro teams up with the previously-mentioned group of brainiac students, and convinces them to use their amateur inventor skills to become superheroes themselves, so that they can take on an evil genius in a Kabuki mask who is threatening, naturally, to take over the world.
In our pro-nerd, tech-heavy, superhero-obsessed culture, "Big Hero 6" hits on all manner of popular themes. It favors brains over muscles and celebrates the power of friendship — good messages, all. But the big heroes who make up the "6" feel like bit players instead of full-fledged characters. Only the slacker-type Fred (voiced by T.J. Miller) stands out; the others aren't memorable enough to even be remembered once the credits start rolling, leave alone become popular enough to merit their own action figure molds. They're like the Avengers' not-very-interesting nieces and nephews.
Directors Don Hall (co-director of 2011's "Winnie the Pooh") and Chris Williams (co-director of "Bolt") start strong, but "Big Hero 6's" inconsistent script builds to an overly busy, standard action movie climax that detracts from the simple story about a boy and his cuddly robot pal. The action, too, is a letdown - even though the visuals are great, but that was expected from Disney - and the big battle and chase sequences call for some major suspensions of disbelief, even by animation movie standards. Also, since the tone is kept light, there's never much of a true sense of danger, adding to the film's many problems.
"Big Hero 6" does make strides in terms of diversity and setting, and it's refreshing to see a movie for kids that acknowledges a world bigger than America. It may have more to do with worldwide box office potential than education, but it's a start.
Kids will leave the theater wanting their own Baymax, and who can blame them? It's the rest of the "Heroes" that don't measure up; the robot full of air is the most real thing in the movie. As with its live- action counterparts, this Marvel-based feature comes complete with a post-credits scene that sets up a sequel. It likewise includes an animated cameo by Stan Lee. So long as Baymax returns for that sequel; the rest of the team is given more depth; and the story doesn't trade coherence for unnecessary, messy action scenes, I'll still be game for it.