MARVEL UNIVERSE — When Disney first announced its intent to purchase Marvel, people wondered what the first animated crossover might be. No one was expecting to hear anything about the Big Hero 6 series, due largely to the fact that only hardcore comic book fans even knew the 6 existed.

Disney’s animators felt obscurity would be an ally for their Marvel opening, and critics seem to agree as “6” sits with over 80 percent at RottenTomatoes.

But who cares about the critics. What you really care about is if “Big Hero 6” is right for you, your family, and that uber-Marvel-fan friend you promised to let tag along.

Here are three things to consider before seeing “Big Hero 6.”

The canon

Because the Big Hero 6 are relatively obscure, Disney realized it could play around with original characters and origin stories without enduring the now expected fan backlash.

I could warn you not to expect an appearance from Silver Samurai or Sunfire, but let’s be honest, you weren’t expecting said appearances anyway. And in many ways, that’s why the film is a clever property for Disney’s first animated step into the Marvel Universe.

The casual Marvel fan will be happy to accept Baymax as a giant, inflatable medical assistant, and kids won’t hesitate to welcome Fredzilla as an original member of the team.

You know, for kids

As mentioned above, this is a very different version of the Big Hero 6 than you’d find in the comics.

Disney’s plan to market this film to a younger audience is one that should pay off commercially, but will also feel generic and a little silly to anyone over the age of 14. This movie is to “6” what “Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters” was to Dr. Peter Venkman.

“Big Hero 6” is fun, family friendly, and might ultimately encourage younger kids to think of intelligence as an obtainable superpower. But just note: If you’re old enough to have caught my Peter Venkman reference, you’re probably not a member of the age group Disney had in mind when they put this movie together.

The origin story

If there’s one thing comic book movie fans are getting really tired of, it’s the origin story.

We know the spider bites for Peter, and the pearl necklace breaks the day Bruce starts down his shadowy path. And while it’s true no one knows Hiro Hamada and the now huggable Baymax, we still have a pretty good idea of how these superheroic transformations occur.

So with that, let me say, the “6” origin setup is a mixed bag. It’s necessary, and because you’re being introduced to an entirely new crew of characters, it doesn’t drag in the same way a more familiar property might. But there’s still a predictable, beat-for-beat pacing the movie is burdened with.

Kids won’t notice, and parents will be forgiving because of their smiling children, but it is an obstacle “Big Hero 6” takes time to overcome.

Conclusion

Deciding if you’ll like a Disney animated film is pretty easy to predict these days. If you are a fan of “Bolt,” “Wreck-it Ralph” and “Frozen,” you’ll be a fan of “Big Hero 6.”

These are fun, beautifully designed films that even the Marvel factor doesn’t shake up a great deal. They stay safe for families and, while they may not connect with an entire audience the way pre-Disney Pixar has in the past, they’re still solid entertainment and a great way to spend 90 minutes with the kids.

If you’re just a fan of animation and are thinking of going it alone this weekend, you won’t be disappointed, but you’ll also be just as happy to wait a few months for the Redbox and digital releases.

Travis Poppleton has been covering movie news, film reviews and live events for Deseret News and KSL.com since 2010 and co-hosts the FlixJunkies podcast. You can contact him at tspoppleton@gmail.com.

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