After the wild success of last year’s film, Frozen, Disney Animation Studios had a lot of expectations to meet.
Their latest effort, Big Hero 6, is by no means a bad movie, but it does show more cracks and flaws than the production company’s more recent efforts. It’s still a wonderful example of their ability to create quality animation, showcasing impressive visuals along with plenty of humor and heart, but Big Hero 6 relies on the Disney formula a bit too much this time around.
If you’re in the mood for a cute and entertaining animated treat, then I’d still recommend you see this film, but understand that this is not the best piece of animation to be released this year, and will not be as memorable as Frozen.
Big Hero 6 follows a child genius, who must utilize the assistance of his brother’s invention, Baymax, to find closure after the death of someone close to him. Before the movie manages to pick up much steam, it is immediately established that the death of a loved one will heavily impact the narrative of the film. But the Disney tropes don’t end there. Baymax is the next in a long line of goofy sidekicks, intended to provide comic relief. I remember having similar qualms with Frozen last year, but at least that film managed to challenge Disney clichés as well as indulge in them.
I don’t mean to leave readers with the impression that I disliked Big Hero 6, however. I enjoyed it quite a lot, but found myself picking it apart, much more than I would have wanted to. There are quite a few scenes where you must suspend your disbelief a bit too much, and even the most touching moments fail to really tug at your heartstrings.
It is not a poor film, but it isn’t as amazing or captivating as the studio’s better efforts.
