Big Hero 6 is about death and mourning. Loss is a recurring theme in many animated films especially in Disney titles but this is their first film that tackles the difficult and sometimes taboo topic of death. Baymax is an adorable, robotic healthcare aid who watches over Hiro after he tragically loses his best friend and older brother Tadashi. The movie is adventurous, hilarious and has a revenge plotline with a twist! I was on an emotional roller coaster ride throughout the entire film.
Initially, I was concerned that Big Hero 6 would be too heavy for my daughter but — life is heavy. She’s already dealt with losing a loved one at her young age. The heartbreak is hard for anyone to deal with but it can be especially difficult for children to understand. Big Hero 6 is about death but it is also about healing. It’s about survival and memorializing the people that we love. Learning that we can’t hide from the pain and that there are people who want to support us and that it’s okay to cry. Man, I cried during Big Hero 6.
On the bright side (I promise that there is a bright side), the voice actors provided authentic, raw talent to their characters. Scott Adsit did a fabulous job finding the voice to his benign, yet helpful, non-threatening character, Baymax. His style reminded me of Peter Sarsgaard’s Robot voice in Frank & Robot. Peter’s voice was a bit more synthesized yet he did a great job achieving a calm and natural sound.
The look of the film is amazing! Big Hero 6 takes place in the metropolis of San Fransoyko, providing us pure eye candy filled with modern architecture from dense neighborhoods in San Franscisco mixed with the rich color and design of Toyko. The results are breathtaking!
There are some elements from the movie that felt a little too familiar. Think ET, (“I’ll be right here”) and I swear that I saw Baymax (or an astronaut) floating away in that pivotal scene in Big Hero 6 somewhere else. Maybe these scenes played homage to other cool sci-fi films from the 80s/90s. Oh, and this is a super hero movie filled with action, unlikely super heroes and there is scary protagonist in the film. My daughter’s favorite character from Big Hero 6 is GoGo. A young, female scientist who is an adrenaline junkie, is intelligent and stylish? Sure! My girl loved it! But, for me the superhero element was secondary. Love, support and emotion are the true stars in this movie and I commend the executives, creative team as well as the voice actors for creating real feelings with passion and excitement. The movie is superb and I highly recommend seeing this with the family. If your child is dealing with loss, this is the perfect time to have a discussion, embrace their feelings and to share a hug. Hugs really do make you feel better.
Big Hero 6 is in theaters NOW and is rated PG.
* We attended a screening for editorial purposes.
