Unless you live in
Japan, it would not be surprising if you've never heard of the Marvel comics
hero team called Big Hero 6. However, they do exist, and in the
fall of 2014, a Disney film loosely based on these heroes was released.
Big Hero 6’s opening week was highly successful, placing
it second only to Frozen. It is also the 46th highest-grossing animated
film of all time. The movie includes the voices of Ryan Potter as teen Hiro
Hamada, Scott Adsit as robot physician Baymax, and James Cromwell as science
professor Robert Callaghan.
SUMMARY
The film opens with teenager Hiro Hamada
participating in an illegal robot fight. He pays his fee and challenges the
reigning champion. He is defeated but convinces the winner to give him a second
chance. The amused rival consents, and a second round is played, in which
Hiro's robot becomes a magnetic monster. Hiro ends up winning that round and
all of the cash money.
However, his older brother Tadashi finds him and
scolds him for joining illegal bot fights. He encourages Hiro to use his genius
for the benefit of others. Tadashi takes Hiro to his college, where he shows
him his robotics lab. Hiro is introduced to Tadashi's friends (by their
nicknames): GoGo, Honey Lemon, Wasabi, and Fred. Finally, Tadashi shows Hiro
his latest invention: a medical robot named Baymax.
Hiro wants into the robotics lab, so he applies for a
scholarship awarded to gifted high-school students. He tries to come up with an
amazing piece of technology to enter in the scholarship contest. He eventually
creates "microbots," mini robots that can join together to create
massive structures, all controlled by a band worn on your head. His entry
manages to impress Tadashi's professor, Robert Callaghan, and Hiro is accepted
into "nerd school," as it is called.
*SPOILER* But tragedy strikes. A fire breaks out at
the college during the exhibition. Hiro and Tadashi escape, but Professor
Callaghan is still inside the building. Tadashi returns to try to save him.
Neither come out. Hiro enters into a depressed state, isolating himself, and
cannot be helped by his aunt who raises him nor Tadashi's college friends. *END
SPOILER*
While in his room, Hiro hurts himself and
accidentally activates Baymax, who hears the boy's cry of pain. While Baymax
tries to discover the extent of Hiro's injury, the teen discovers one of his
microbots, though they were supposedly all destroyed in the fire. He places it
in a container, but it appears to be trying to find the other microbots.
Annoyed by Baymax's constant medical inquiries, Hiro
tells the robot to take the microbot and find the others. However, Baymax takes
the instruction to heart and leaves the house in search of the microbots. Hiro
chases after him, and the two discover an abandoned warehouse where they
uncover lots of crates full of microbots.
A dark man in a mysterious mask appears, and it is
obvious that he can control the microbots. Hiro and Baymax barely escape to
return home.
Eventually, Hiro, Baymax, and Tadashi's friends form
a team of super heroes, using their gadgets. Their mission is to track down the
mysterious villain and defeat him before his unknown plans are fulfilled.
CONTENT
Big Hero 6 is much like a kids' version of
a Marvel hero movie. There is some violence, but it is pretty toned down
compared to The Avengers or other superhero films. Microbots
are used to cause chaos, destroying buildings, streets, and cars. They also
attack the Big Hero 6 team. A car is driven into the ocean, and it begins to fill
with water (they are rescued, however, and no one dies). The team also uses
their gadgets in fights, causing some destruction, though not intentionally. In
one scene Hiro reprograms Baymax to kill the villain, and he nearly does. In
that scene, his eyes glow red, and he harms the other super heroes when they
try to stop him (this scene could possibly frighten younger kids). Also, it is
implied that a fire kills some people, and we see their pictures at a funeral.
Baymax says Hiro's bad mood is a result of puberty.
He begins explaining that Hiro will have body hair and "urges," but
Hiro stops him before he continues. Overall, there is little to be worried
about in this scene, though older viewers will likely understand what is
implied.
There is no language besides a "gosh" and
some mild name-calling.
When Baymax's battery becomes low, this causes him to
seem drunk, as he slurs his words and wobbles around. Also, Fred says that he
wears his underwear for extended periods of time.
One other thing for parents to take note of is that
Hiro lies to his aunt in order to cover up his heroic deeds with Big Hero
6.
Big Hero 6 is really an enjoyable family
film. It is quite unlike other Disney movies I have seen. Some of the content
might be too strong for young children to handle, but I saw it with my
eight-year-old brother who was alright throughout the film. Parents will need
to make their own decisions, of course, but I think a child aged six or seven
would likely be fine with at least most of the movie.
The film has good lessons about friendship and the loss
of people we love. Even when we go through the loss of someone close to us, we
need to persevere through the trial. God sends trials to us so that we can
become stronger in Him. Trials shape us and help us grow.
While Big Hero 6 was better than I
had expected, it was not an amazing film. It was good, even great, but I would
not place it among Disney's greatest cinematic achievements. Still, if you have
the chance, I would encourage you and your family to watch this movie. I did enjoy
it, and I'm sure many others also will.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Length: 102 minutes
Rating: PG (for action and peril, some rude humor, and thematic
elements)
Directors: Chris Williams, Don Hall
Producer: Roy Conli
Music: Henry Jackman
Year of release: 2014
Primary audience: Kids, family
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