When a college student who built a healthcare companion dies in an explosion, his science genius brother starts working on the companion to try to figure out what caused the explosion in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “Big Hero 6.” Hiro is a genius, but a drifter who competes in robot fighting in San Fransokyo. Tadashi is a driven college student who wants to make the world better. Tadashi’s friends help Hiro understand and achieve Tadashi’s vision despite Hiro’s quest for vengeance. And Tadashi’s invention, Baymax, proves to be the friend Hiro needs in his time of grief.

This is the only Marvel film the Walt Disney Animation Studios has ever made, but it fits right in with the other films of the Disney Revival. While there is definitely plenty of focus on Hiro’s hero journey, the viewer gets to see how the team is formed, how the team stops Hiro from completing his own villainous turn and how Hiro is redeemed so the team can stop Professor Callaghan’s villainous plot. It’s an excellent Marvel animated film while still being an excellent Disney animated film.

This film has spawned plenty of other Disney projects but often seems to be forgotten when discussing great Disney films. This film has spawned its own animated series, “Big Hero 6: The Series;” a set of animated shorts for the Disney channel, “Baymax Shorts;” and a Disney+ Original series of shorts, “Baymax.” Yet, when people talk about the great films from the Disney Revival, it doesn’t get the same attention as “Frozen,” “Moana” or “Wreck-It Ralph.” I really don’t know why that it is. I find it more enjoyable than at least one of those films. It’s clear that this film is easy to spinoff from whether the film itself is remembered as well or not.

It’s unlikely for “Big Hero 6” to get a sequel, although with Disney announcing a plethora of sequels at a recent investors call, and “Big Hero 6” having a plethora of source material to draw from, this seems like the perfect film to get one. It makes more sense than “Zootopia 2” or “Toy Story 5.” Still, if you haven’t watched this film yet, give it a chance. It’s a strong outing from a particularly strong era of Disney animation.

Rating: 4.5 stars

What did you think of “Big Hero 6?”

Jeremy Brown

Jeremy has been a big Disney fan since he was a kid growing up during the Disney Renaissance. One day he hopes to go to every Disney Park in the world.

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