Big Hero 6 Is Smart, Fun and Exciting (Review)

Even though Big Hero 6 is inspired by a series of comic books and characters from Marvel, the story is very different than the one in the books. The title, character names, and skills/powers of several characters are the only elements which came from the source material, the plot is original.

Also, Big Hero 6 in not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so don’t expect these characters to visit the Avengers anywhere down the road. However, the association with Marvel is winked at in two places. First of all, keep your eyes open for a blink or you’ll miss it “cameo” from Stan Lee. And second, you’ll probably want to stay in your seat through the credits.

Like many of Disney’s most beloved movies, Big Hero 6 uses humor and heart in equal measure. Hiro is an interesting and layered character. He may be the most intelligent person in the room when it comes to robotics, but at his core he is still a young boy constantly dealing with problems he’s not emotionally equipped for. At his side is Baymax, otherwise known as Groot’s biggest competition for this year’s hot ticket Christmas toy. Baymax provides a lot of the film’s laughter and nearly all of its tears as well, no mean feat for a robot with no facial expressions. The main focus of the movie is the relationship between these two, and it is a joy to watch their unconventional friendship grow.

The other four members of Big Hero 6 are diverse and interesting; if the movie has one flaw, it is the fact that their stories and relationships could have used some more development. But when making a family friendly movie, it is important to keep to a family friendly running time, and while it would have been interesting to get to know these four better, the story does not suffer for not having it.

At the core Big Hero 6 is a sweet, fun, and exciting story about a group of people who use the skills they have to do something amazing, not out of any desire to be heroes. Instead, they do it out of their love for each other.