Disney movies are usually a big success. Big Hero 6 is a Disney film that won the Oscar for Best Animated Film, but it did not have the cultural impact that most Disney movies do. This is unfortunate because the movie was an original piece of work that did many things right.
Hollywood is known for being a white man’s world. It is believed that women and other races do not sell tickets at the box office. This belief system has hindered many projects. George Lucas had many problems trying to get studios to let him make the movie Red Tails because it was an all black cast. It is an old way of thinking that is slowly changing.
Disney has had a good thing going by featuring women as lead characters. Over the years, they have also been moving towards characters that do not need a man to save them. They keep innovating and Big Hero 6 is a movie that also tried going into new territory. It features a half-American, half-Japanese family living in a town called “San Fransokyo.”
This movie did so many things right that have a positive impact on our society. It encourages children to pursue a career in science because science can be fun and beneficial for humanity’s survival. The main character and his brother love science and are inventors. They both attend a university that specializes in advanced science.
Even though the main character is male, there are two supporting characters that are female. One of them is a tomboy that is very independent. The other is “girly-girl.” Both of them also attend the university and are strong characters. The movie does not make them damsels. In fact, all the shortcomings in this film come from male characters. All the female characters in the movie are strong and independent individuals who do nothing but help the situation. Even the less predominant female characters are important and not demeaning.
The best part about it all is that nothing is pushed in your face. Besides the fact that the town is clearly called San Fransokyo, everything is subtle. They never mention race, gender, financial situations, or anything that is usually shoved in a viewer’s face. This movie takes all those touchy subjects and handles them all perfectly without telling you directly. There are characters who are really rich and others who are poor. Both are treated equally. There are females and males being best friends, but romantic relationships are nowhere in the story. There are characters of all races, but it is never mentioned in the dialogue. Science, education, and being a good person are promoted by everyone in the movie. Big Hero 6 was able to take most of the controversial topics and normalize them.
It is a shame that the movie was not as popular as most other Disney movies because Big Hero 6 is ahead of its time. We live in a time where it is still difficult to get a lead actress or a black cast in successful movies. Big Hero 6 was able to take everything that Hollywood is afraid to do and make an incredible story. This movie deserves the Oscar it won and also deserves to be at the popularity level of Frozen. All in all, it sends every good message that our society needs to hear. It has relatable characters and is a good influence for everyone.
As Gandalf once warned, “Fly you fools!”
— Miguel Gonzalez, Film Blogger
