Review: Big Hero 6 (2014)

There are so many films coming out in January and I know I won’t be able to see them all. Most of them don’t even come out until the middle of the month here in the UK which doesn’t help. I was just getting ready to work out which ones to give up on when Odeon announced a preview of Big Hero 6 on the first Sunday of the year. Not wanting to say no to an amazing opportunity, and armed with a gift card from Christmas, I went with my fiance!

Big Hero 6 is Disney’s latest family animated film, featuring super-genius teenager Hiro, a giant, inflatable healthcare assistant robot called Baymax created by Hiro’s brother, and their 5 friends as they hunt down a masked villain who has stolen Hiro’s invention. There’s also an adorable animated short before the film itself called Feast which I want to dedicate a post of it’s own to at some point, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt so many emotions in 6 minutes, or cried so much in public!

Onto the feature film though now. The scene is set really well and introduces Hiro and his older brother Tadashi, who live at the top of a bakery with the owner, Cass, because this is a Disney film of course and the brothers lost their parents. Disney why! Stop throwing all the feelings at me before we’ve even begun! Not to worry though as there’s some great humourous moments before the real story kicks in.

I have so much love for Baymax. How can a healthcare robot be so darn adorable and funny all at the same time? He makes the grown ups quietly chuckle at a joke only we would understand in one minute, and the next has every child in fits of laughter with a bit of fart humour. Okay, I laughed out loud too! Honestly though, he’s a brilliant character and I want one! Did I mention he knows how to fist bump? Well, kind of!

There’s some great little easter eggs to look out for too. I imagine I missed loads but I saw one of the best Stan Lee cameos ever, and 2 familiar faces on wanted posters at the police station! Did anyone spot any others?

Moving swiftly on to something that may actually resemble a review, I thought Big Hero 6 had a really strong, if not slightly predictable plot. I can forgive that though, because it was engaging and interesting throughout. I think it’s going to appeal more to young boys, but the lack of pretty dresses and a talking snowman won’t put off the girls either. Even as a grown-up with no children of my own yet, I’m more than looking forward to the DVD release so that I can watch it again! Now to find out the name of that Fall Out Boy song, so I can amuse the rush hour traffic by singing my heart out in the car.