Big Hero 6 Review
Hiro Hamada is the stereotypical child prodigy. Everything the audience expects from a youthful blend of Einstein and Michelangelo - of brains and imagination. He perfectly conforms to the child prodigy archetype: blessed with an academic talent, creativity and, quite unfortunately, laziness. Nevertheless, his intelligence leaves audiences with a certain sense of envy and curiosity. As a high school graduate at the age of thirteen, Hiro quickly finds himself in a perpetual state of boredom, viewing college as a wasteful endeavor, only capable of teaching him what he already knows. It isn’t until his older brother, Tadashi, introduces him to the robotics lab at his University, that the story begins to unfold. Big Hero 6 a lighthearted, yet emotionally grasping animation, hits the soft spot of many -- somewhere between wonder and charm -- and takes the viewer on a relatable futuristic quest.
Set in San Fransokyo, a perfect blend between the easygoing culture of San Francisco and the technological promise of Tokyo. This unique social blend contributed to a multi layered and diverse cast of characters, composed of Hiro, Baymax - a fluffy monochromatic personal robot- and Tadashi’s geeky friends.
Hiro first appears on scene as a meek boy amidst a foreboding crowd of back-alley bot battlers. Proving his wit early on, Hiro defeats the ring leader and walks away from the lowly crowd with a fat stack of currency; however, he was quickly confronted by the leader’s posse and forced to flee the illegal situation. After his aunt Cass retrieves him from the local jail, his brother quickly persuades him to reassess his hobbies by introducing him to the nerd lab, a jungle of ground breaking tech toys at the nearby University - Hiro’s niche. In order to become a part of the tech lab community; however, he must impress head professor Callaghan during a convention. So, like any up-and-coming creative genius, Hiro retires to his garage and materializes his thoughts. Predictably, Hiro emerges from his garage with an astonishing device, microbots, and floors his audience.
The entire movie is coated with futuristic technology that may soon appear in reality. Enter Baymax. A loveable, marshmallow-like, medical robot developed by Tadashi. Honest and innocent, by nature - or programing - Baymax becomes immediately concerned with Hiro’s health, and a centerpiece for creative writing screenplay. A genuine and untainted robot, Baymax offers a dimension to the story line that blends thematic ideas, charm, and intoxicated innuendo. Together, Baymax - with his soft lovable stature - and Hiro - with his superior intellect - form a playful duo that any audience will easily enjoy.
When tragedy strikes, Hiro takes it upon himself to become a crime fighter and forms a humorously effective nerd platoon with the help of Baymax and his friends. Although the general plot was typical and elementary by most standards, the writing and screenplay more than compensated for any lack of creativity: cute, yet sprinkled with multilayered humor.
The general screenplay and music composition was basic by design yet effective. The mixture and juxtaposition of rainy, melodramatic scenes and lively action takes audience on an emotionally exhausting roller coaster, but a ride well-worth its time. Walt Disney may have outdone itself with Big Hero 6: an innovative and engaging quest about a young hero, Hiro, and his robo-friend Baymax.