Kidzworld reviews the home entertainment version of Big Hero 6, the super popular Disney animated movie about a smart, creative teen who faces great loss but gains friends and saves his city!
By: Lynn Barker
Hiro Hamada is a science whizkid who never really was a match to kids his age. When he suffers a terrible loss, can he go on and excel in life, school and… as a superhero?
Story Goes
Living in San Fransokyo, a mash-up of San Francisco and Tokyo, brilliant but unfocused 14-year-old genius Hiro Hamada (voiced by Ryan Potter) had rather bet on illegal ‘bot fights than think of training his razor sharp mind at tech school until his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) shows him a fun science lab full of nerds like him; the super fast-thinking and acting Go Go Tamago (voice of Jamie Chung), freaked out perfectionist Wasabi (voiced by Damon Wayans Jr.), chemistry whiz Honey Lemon (voice of Genesis Rodriguez), fanboy Fred (T.J. Miller) and the loveable, squishy, huggable healthcare robot named Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit) that he has invented.
Hiro lays down the law to BaymaxCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
As a project which can earn his enrollment into the posh tech school, Hiro creates “Minibots”, tiny robots controlled telepathically which, together in a swarm, can transform the world as we know it. When greedy tech industrialist Alistair Krei (voice of Alan Tudyk) evidently sets a fire at the school and steals the ‘bots causing Hiro an awful loss, the genius boy seeks revenge by transforming his new scientist pals and Baymax into superheroes who can go after the masked enemy now controlling his invention….but is he actually Krei in disguise or an enemy Hiro never considered?
Baymax searches for Hiro's minibotsCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Special Features
- Short Feature Feast – this little film is my favorite of all the Disney shorts I’ve seen. It’s a story about an adorable, hungry, stray puppy who is adopted by a fellow who feeds him…anything he wants. The tables turn when the fellow meets a girl who is a health food nut. Just a joy to have in your home collection.
- The Origin Story of Big Hero 6 : Hiro’s Journey – This featurette, hosted by Jamie Chung, the San Francisco native who voices Go Go, presents the filmmakers talking about being inspired by the “Big Hero 6” comic book and working with Marvel (now partnered with Disney) to adapt the basic story and character. The gang used personal stories about their own brothers to build the Hiro/Tadashi relationship.
- We learn about the creation, origin and design of Baymax based on the real science of “soft” robotics. We explore how the cities of San Francisco and Tokyo were combined design-wise to form San Fransokyo. Very cool!
Hiro scans Baymax for his super suitCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
- Big Animator 6: The Characters Behind the Characters- focuses on how huge teams of Disney animators work together to develop each character. Their work must match…not easy. We see again how a little brother served as a template for Hiro’s walk and a baby in a full diaper inspired the Baymax “waddle”. You see several of the voice actors recording their parts.. a really fun extra!
Some of the Big Hero 6 teamCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
- Deleted Scenes with Intros by the Directors – The film’s two directors guide us through several scenes that only got as far as sketched storyboards. There are two “Alternate Openings”; one a backstory for Hiro and Tadashi’s childhoods as young inventors that really fleshes out those characters and one scene that created more sidekick villains for the major bad guy. Interesting. A scene with Fred, the fanboy more in charge of the gang becoming superheroes is fun but took the focus from Hiro.
- An “Easter Egg” (hidden) extra called Big Hero Secrets guides us through how hidden extras work on DVDs.. Well, I’m lousy at finding Easter Eggs on home video sooo hopefully you will have more luck!
Baymax as superheroCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Wrapping Up
Big Hero 6 has the heart of Brad Bird’s classic Iron Giant and the superhero “swash” of The Incredibles. The movie displays amazing East meets West production design with incredible detail, entertains with a great emotional range and boasts a worthy moral core; stressing that revenge is not going to heal the soul or change the past. The film also pushes the premise that science can be very, very cool!
Aunt Cass voiced by Maya RudolphCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Voice actors never miss a beat. T.J. Miller as the voice of fanboy Fred is very funny and James Cromwell adds gravitas as formidable Professor scientist Robert Callaghan who is much more than he seems. The usual Disney animated themes of love and loss, a coming-of-age self-discovery and family unity are there in abundance with a supporting cast of characters that, while we never learn much about them individually, have distinct personalities and skills that aid lead character Hiro and is new best bud Baymax, The film is definitely set up for a series of movies featuring Big Hero 6, the new undercover protectors of San Fransokyo and we are onboard for what comes next.
Blu-ray extras aren't long but fun and the short film “Feast” alone is worth buying the Blu-ray or DVD. We love this film. It gets 5 stars as does this home entertainment version.
Disney short FeastCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios
Big Hero 6 Blu-ray Rating:
Big Hero 6 Blu-ray CoverCourtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Big Hero 6 is now available on Blu-ray + DVD!
