http://www.dfw.com/2014/11/06/941360/movie-review-big-hero-6.html
For the last two years in a row, Disney has been able to create animation powerhouses with Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen.
Both films received a ton of praise, and with last year's Oscar win with Frozen, expectations were set high for the "animation king's" latest installment:
Big Hero 6.
The story takes place in the futuristic and fictional town of San Fransokyo. The main character is Hiro Hamada, a 14 year old technological prodigy who needs to find the man who stole his greatest invention yet. With help from some friends and his lovable balloon-man companion, Baymax. Hiro sets off to apprehend the man who stole his greatest achievement.
For those that may not know, Big Hero 6 is actually based off of the comic book series with the same name from Marvel. Nobody would have guessed that Disney would create an adaptation of a Marvel creation. Fortunately, Disney's adaptation is one heck of a ride.
First off, animation and storytelling are terrific. This is something that I've gotten used to with Disney and their latest productions. The city of San Fransokyo is a gorgeous mesh of colorful lights and charm. Everything looks live-like and beautiful, with well saturated and vibrant colors taking my breathe away. It's visually stunning, and it is amazing.
Story telling has always been Disney's forte, and it wasn't an issue here. You watch Hiro's story unfold, becoming involved in his struggles and pleasures. There was only one time throughout the film that it felt like it was dragging on a bit, but it was just a minor segment.
Something that great animated films like Frozen and How To Train Your Dragon 2 did extremely well was hitting the audience emotionally. Although Disney made a great effort to do so, it was the one minor flaw I found with the film overall. Hiro faces a few struggles throughout the film, and although the film tried to make me feel for Hiro, it didn't impact me as the aforementioned film previously. Don't get me wrong, it did hit me emotionally, just not as much. Also, Big Hero 6 happened to be a bit more predictable than I would've liked. Again, it's just another minor issue that won't bother many viewers
What made Big Hero 6 such an enjoyably film, was it's characters. They're likeable and appreciated, especially one in particular: Baymax. You know, the big and white balloon thing. I believe that Disney may have created the most likeable character in film history. It almost seems impossible to not like Baymax. He is built and programmed to act as a personal nursing assistant. He will help you with any problem you have, both physically and mentally. Not to mention, he is what made this film so funny. The movie made me laugh more than The Lego Movie....that's how funny the movie (aka Baymax) was.
Finally, it's the connection the grows between Baymax and Hiro that acts as the glue to the movie as a whole. It grows throughout the film, and it's exciting to watch.
Overall, Big Hero 6 lived up to the high expectations that Disney set it with. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, or revolutionary. It was an awesome and exciting ride, from beginning to end. Is it the best animated film of the year? Honestly, that's a tough one to answer. It's definitely one of my favorite films of the year. Children will enjoy it, teenagers will enjoy it, and even adults can enjoy it. It's what Disney has been doing right lately, and I love it.
For the last two years in a row, Disney has been able to create animation powerhouses with Wreck-It Ralph and Frozen.
Both films received a ton of praise, and with last year's Oscar win with Frozen, expectations were set high for the "animation king's" latest installment:
Big Hero 6.
The story takes place in the futuristic and fictional town of San Fransokyo. The main character is Hiro Hamada, a 14 year old technological prodigy who needs to find the man who stole his greatest invention yet. With help from some friends and his lovable balloon-man companion, Baymax. Hiro sets off to apprehend the man who stole his greatest achievement.
For those that may not know, Big Hero 6 is actually based off of the comic book series with the same name from Marvel. Nobody would have guessed that Disney would create an adaptation of a Marvel creation. Fortunately, Disney's adaptation is one heck of a ride.
First off, animation and storytelling are terrific. This is something that I've gotten used to with Disney and their latest productions. The city of San Fransokyo is a gorgeous mesh of colorful lights and charm. Everything looks live-like and beautiful, with well saturated and vibrant colors taking my breathe away. It's visually stunning, and it is amazing.
Story telling has always been Disney's forte, and it wasn't an issue here. You watch Hiro's story unfold, becoming involved in his struggles and pleasures. There was only one time throughout the film that it felt like it was dragging on a bit, but it was just a minor segment.
Something that great animated films like Frozen and How To Train Your Dragon 2 did extremely well was hitting the audience emotionally. Although Disney made a great effort to do so, it was the one minor flaw I found with the film overall. Hiro faces a few struggles throughout the film, and although the film tried to make me feel for Hiro, it didn't impact me as the aforementioned film previously. Don't get me wrong, it did hit me emotionally, just not as much. Also, Big Hero 6 happened to be a bit more predictable than I would've liked. Again, it's just another minor issue that won't bother many viewers
What made Big Hero 6 such an enjoyably film, was it's characters. They're likeable and appreciated, especially one in particular: Baymax. You know, the big and white balloon thing. I believe that Disney may have created the most likeable character in film history. It almost seems impossible to not like Baymax. He is built and programmed to act as a personal nursing assistant. He will help you with any problem you have, both physically and mentally. Not to mention, he is what made this film so funny. The movie made me laugh more than The Lego Movie....that's how funny the movie (aka Baymax) was.
Finally, it's the connection the grows between Baymax and Hiro that acts as the glue to the movie as a whole. It grows throughout the film, and it's exciting to watch.
Overall, Big Hero 6 lived up to the high expectations that Disney set it with. It wasn't anything groundbreaking, or revolutionary. It was an awesome and exciting ride, from beginning to end. Is it the best animated film of the year? Honestly, that's a tough one to answer. It's definitely one of my favorite films of the year. Children will enjoy it, teenagers will enjoy it, and even adults can enjoy it. It's what Disney has been doing right lately, and I love it.