Fish and Cherries Productions

Big Hero 6 was a huge treat to watch. While the plot may be a bit archetypical in terms of a superhero story, it plays it very smart and throws in some really clever twists. The world they present is also wild and colorful. Disney tackled China with Mulan, of course, but this is the first time I’ve seen them do a city with a heavy Asian influence like San Fransokyo. This is also the first time I’ve seen them put gambling and sneak drunken behavior into their film, at least since Dumbo and possibly Pinocchio. The characters are also incredible fun and distinctive, my favorite probably being GoGo for the attitude alone. And yes, Baymax is exactly the adorable show-stealer the advertisements make him out to be. It’s like if Big the Cat was written well. If you don’t get that reference, don’t worry, most Sonic the Hedgehog fans wish that they themselves didn’t.

Where this movie really takes off is showing off the futuristic angle. Anytime the movie shows some kind of technological or scientific advancement, it feels remarkable and, in my case, almost tear-inducing. You really believe that the future has arrived. While this is definitely a point to the writing staff for doing their research (apparently, most/all of this science is accurate and possible), the animation department gets huge props for making it come to life before your eyes. Said department also deserves props for a visual marvel at the end where my jaw actually dropped upon seeing it. I won’t spoil it, but it’s well worth the wait.

Is it as good as Frozen? No, because it doesn’t massively redefine its genre. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t spectacular in its own right. I might even say it’s better than The Incredibles and that Hiro is a better rough-around-the-edges and morally dubious protagonist than Aladdin. While the character of Aunt Cass kind of grated on me, it didn’t detract from the excitement, investment, and heartbreak that should come with a great childhood classic. I’ve been feeling this coming on for a while now since The Princess and the Frog, but now I’m certain: Disney is back.