 The special bond that develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes. Storyline: From Walt Disney Animation Studios, the team behind "Frozen" and "Wreck-It Ralph," comes "Big Hero 6," an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot, and prodigy Hiro Hamada. When a devastating event befalls the city of San Fransokyo and catapults Hiro into the midst of danger, he turns to Baymax and his close friends adrenaline junkie Go Go Tomago, neatnik Wasabi, chemistry whiz Honey Lemon and fanboy Fred. Determined to uncover the mystery, Hiro transforms his friends into a band of high-tech heroes called "Big Hero 6." Written by Walt Disney Animation Studios Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, February 18, 2015 -- Big Hero 6 sees the merger of two of the film industry's top box office earners of the past two decades: the sweeping, high end digital adventure and the larger-than-life superhero movie. It finds the very best of both worlds, playing like a marriage between Guardians of the Galaxy and WALL•E, yielding a rich, exacting, endlessly fun, and warmly touching movie that was far too long coming but that proves well worth the wait. Big Hero 6, a movie with action to spare, characterization that would be the envy of most dramas, crazy attention to detail, and a heart as big as its hero, just may be the quintessential modern day animated masterpiece of its form that's accessible, memorable, and enjoyable in every way imaginable. There's nary a flaw to be found in any area of examination, whether considering its narrative flow, dramatic foundation, humorous overlay, or creative vision. Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter) is a boy genius who is "wasting" his talents on underground remote control robot fighting rather than pursuing bigger and better things, namely a higher education. His brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) one day drags him to his "Nerd Lab" where the boy is introduced to Tadashi's friends -- Fred (voiced by T.J. Miller), Go Go (voiced by Jamie Chung), Wasabi (voiced by Damon Wayans Jr.), and Honey Lemon (voiced by Genesis Rodriguez) -- and some amazing technology, including Tadashi's own "Baymax" (voiced by Scott Adsit), a medical assistant robot that's going to change the world. Hiro is impressed, and when he meets the great Professor Callaghan (voiced by James Cromwell), who invites him to join the fun and prove his worth with an amazing invention, he decides to make a change and do something important with his gifts. Hiro dazzles with a marvelous invention, but disaster strikes and changes the boy's life forever. Now living in seclusion, dropped out of society, and unwilling to pursue his dreams, he stays tucked away in his bedroom. But when Baymax is inadvertently activated, the two form a bond and, with the help of a few friends, embark on a quest to set things right and unravel a mystery that, if left unchecked, could have disastrous consequences for everyone involved. Big Hero 6 is a touching character-driven "buddy" movie dressed up in the guise of an Action film with light, but extremely effective, comical undertones. As it progresses through the journey shared by Hiro and Baymax (whose name coincidentally rings familiar with that of the old video delivery system "Betamax"), it uses the adventure as a tool to better define their burgeoning relationship, with the emotionally wounded Hiro on one side and the all-too-pragmatic, emotionally void Baymax on the other, an artificial being that appears to lack not bedside manner but certainly bedside tact, unable to understand the complexities of human nuance but that is determined to see its patient emotionally healed, one way or another. Their shared adventure engenders a greater understanding of their shared needs, Hiro coming to find comfort, and even some answers, in Baymax, while the robot, at least on a very elementary level, comes to better understand Hiro's needs beyond their raw medical definitions. In Baymax, the filmmakers have created one of the most remarkable artificial life forms ever depicted on the screen. It's a perfect representation of that cold robotic distance and exactness with just enough human warmth and relatability to elevate the character beyond a form and give it something as close to a soul as is possible without it losing its detached charm. It's sort of like a blend of Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet and Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation with an appearance that resembles the Michelin Man. Even as the film has quite a bit of fun at Baymax's expense, it builds a tangible connection between it and Hiro and it and the audience, resulting in one of the most lovable, memorable, and honest artificial characters in movie history. The film certainly excels in every other area of importance. Big Hero 6 leaves no digital stone unturned. It's a masterpiece of technical wizardry that reveals a tremendous level of exacting, nuanced detail in every shot. It creates a vibrant, fully alive world, a familiar world to be sure despite its future setting but with enough distinction to still earn some "oohs" and "aahs," though predominately in just how complex it all appears and not necessarily for any sort of radical forward-thinking vision of some near future world. The attention to detail in even the smallest pieces is wondrous, so much so that one almost wants to stop the movie and soak in every little bit of digital artistry apparent in every scene, along every surface, around each minuscule detail that adds up to a terrifically vibrant experience that comes as close to a living thing as a digital creation currently can be. And it doesn't simply stop at the visual. The movie comes packed with fine little touches in terms of characterization, sound, and score that all merge to aid in the presentation of a breathtaking experience. Better, the movie doesn't settle for serving as a technical highlight reel. Even beyond the core Hiro-Baymax relationship, the film comes to life with a deep, complex, nuanced, yet accessible story that delves into a number of themes such as coping with loss, overcoming tragedy, and the importance of friendship. The picture explores some dark territory but in doing so arrives at a bright end with a central message that builds on the idea of physical loss versus emotional loss and the realization that one does not equal the other, that even in spirit a life can matter and help engender a sense of purpose where the void otherwise says it cannot exist nor any longer be of any value. Big Hero 6 is the perfect Animated film. It's packed with action, littered with strong characters, teeming with humor, and overflowing with heart. It's the epitome of the modern animated film and the superhero picture alike, standing tall against anything either side can throw at it and brushing off any unfounded criticism even the most jaded viewers may hurl in its direction. Directors Don Hall and Chris Williams have a modern masterpiece on their hands, a film that in ninety-some minutes embodies everything that's good about the biggest and best that mainstream cinema has had to share over the past two or so decades. An Oscar contender for Best Animated Feature film that could have just as easily been elevated to Best Picture category status (along with fellow snubs The LEGO Movie and the aforementioned Guardians of the Galaxy), the film ranks as one of the year's best and one that the entire family can enjoy time and again. Disney's Blu-ray release of Big Hero 6 delivers expectedly perfect video and audio. The package is, on the other hand, completely underwhelming in terms of its limited supplemental content. Nevertheless, the movie trumps all, and its stellar A/V presentation helps mask even the rather puny assortment of extras. Big Hero 6 earns my highest recommendation. [CSW] -4.5- Make sure you watch through the credits to the very end for a little extra something. I was expecting another movie targeted at younger viewers that I may or may not like, and it was quite engrossing and entertaining all the way through. I highly recommend taking the time to see it. This 54th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series is the first Disney film to feature Marvel Comics characters...Disney Studios acquired the parent company of Marvel in 2009. Produced in Disney Animation Studios, by the same team that produced Frozen and Wreck it Ralph, Big Hero 6 is an animated action comedy that features a special bond between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable health care robot and 14 year old prodigy, Hiro Hamada. Like most animated features, the target audience is the younger set, but there is plenty here for all age groups. (Based on Comic Book) Cast Notes: Scott Adsit (Baymax [voice]), Ryan Potter (Hiro [voice]), Daniel Henney (Tadashi [voice]), T.J. Miller (Fred [voice]), Jamie Chung (Go Go [voice]), Damon Wayans Jr. (Wasabi [voice]), Genesis Rodriguez (Honey Lemon [voice]), James Cromwell (Robert Callaghan [voice]), Alan Tudyk (Alistair Krei [voice]), Maya Rudolph (Cass [voice]), Abraham Benrubi (General [voice]), Katie Lowes (Abigail [voice]), Billy Bush (Newscaster [voice]), Daniel Gerson (Desk Sergeant [voice]), Paul Briggs (Yama [voice]). IMDb Rating (11/28/15): 7.6/10 from 346,031 users
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