Sitting in a movie theatre alone at 10 p.m. on a Friday night can be quite cathartic. Surrounded by a total of six other people who, for some reason, seemed to repel each other (or maybe they just repelled me) proved to be a conducive environment to an emotional release. And I knew, as soon saw the big, lovable character Baymax, that this movie was going to be a tearjerker.
The tale of Hiro Hamada takes place in a fictional city known as San Fransokyo which is, obviously, a blend of San Francisco and Tokyo. Hiro is a fourteen-year-old genius who graduated high school at the age of thirteen. He lives with Tadashi, his older and more practical brother, and their Aunt Cass. It is revealed in the beginning of the story that the Hamada’s parents died when Hiro was four, although, the movie does not explain the cause.
Aunt Cass and Tadashi are worried by Hiro’s infatuation with participating in illegal, underground robot fighting. Hiro uses his non-threatening and small stature along with a non-threatening, small statured robot to win these duels which seem to get him into trouble.
But, after a visit to the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology (SFIT), the school attended by Tadashi and his quirky friends, Hiro decides that he wants to take a more proactive approach to his life and decides to audition at the University’s showcase where a tragic accident changes everything.
The story of Hiro Hamada and Baymax was originally a Marvel comic series that was later purchased by Disney. While most comic book fans expressed reluctance at the idea of a Disney-fied version of a Marvel comic, they were not disappointed. The movie received 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.5 out of 10 on IMDb. There are even two extra shorts: one in the beginning and one at the end of the movie.
Big Hero 6 can evoke the most heartwarming of emotions from anyone. Despite the futuristic setting, Hiro, Tadashi and Aunt Cass are extremely relatable characters in a (somewhat) relatable situation.
Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10! Big Hero 6 is definitely on my list of favorite movies (even though there’s no Johnny Depp) and could certainly become a cult classic in the near future. However, I watched the movie in 3D and…just save your money. It wasn’t too bad, but it was just like watching it in 2D.
