Coming off the monumental success of Frozen, Disney Animation Studios' next film comes from Marvel origins. It's called Big Hero 6, and as you would expect coming from Marvel, it's all about superheroes and brightly colored costumes. That's enough for some tired of comic-based films to roll their eyes, but even if you aren't a fan of Thor or Iron Man, you might not want to write off Big Hero 6 just yet.
The film revolves around 14-year-old tech wiz Hiro Hamada, who, instead of putting his genius to good use, participates in back-alley robo battles. He gets the chance to turn his life around by joining his older brother in college, only to have a lab accident take his brother's life. Hiro soon learns the "accident" wasn't an accident at all. He discovers his brother's friendly healthcare robot Baymax, and attempts to convert Baymax into a crime fighting machine in order to bring his brother's killers to justice. It, of course, wouldn't be a Disney movie without some light-hearted comedy, and Big Hero 6 delivers on that as well. According to the reviews, it is Baymax who really steals the show, and no doubt he will be seen lining toy store shelves everywhere. Writes Variety:
"In a movie that boasts no shortage of creative design elements, Baymax is by far the most compelling, inspired by a new class of "soft robotics" being developed at Carnegie Mellon U., whose mechanical endoskeletons are completely hidden by puffy, nonthreatening vinyl."
The film is heavily inspired by Japanese animation, and the blending of Eastern and Western culture can be seen throughout Big Hero 6. The movie takes place in fictional metropolis San Fransokyo. Writes The Hollywood Reporter:
"The film's big-ticket action sequences, while unmistakably state-of-the-art, ultimately fall short of matching the visual exhilaration of those gorgeous San Fransokyo backdrops which present a seamless fusion of traditional Japanese and Victorian-influenced American architecture."
So far critics are praising the film's heart, animation and humor, as well as taking notice of the film's diverse cast of characters. The Wrap writes:
"Complain all you want about the current vogue of superhero movies, but if every so often we get a 'Big Hero 6' - a kid-friendly saga that features an Asian protagonist, an ethnically- and gender-diverse group of costumed crusaders, and positive messages about science, education, and compassion - then it justifies the genre's existence."
Big Hero 6 lands in theaters on Nov. 7. Check out the film's trailer below.
