Big Hero 6, an action-packed comedy-adventure about the special bond that develops between Baymax, a plus-sized inflatable robot (voiced by Scott Adsit – St. Vincent) and young computer whiz Hiro Hamada (newcomer Ryan Potter), is the latest creation from Walt Disney Animation Studios, the team that brought us Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph.

Sometime in the future, when a devastating event befalls his home city of San Fransokyo and catapults Hiro into the midst of danger, he turns to Baymax and his close friends: GoGo (Jamie Chung - The Hangover Part II and Part III), Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr. - Let’s Be Cops), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez – Tusk) and Fred (T.J. Miller - How to Train Your Dragon 2). Determined to uncover the mystery of who is behind all the mayhem that has overtaken their city, Hiro transforms his friends into a band of high-tech heroes and the “Big Hero 6” are formed.

Drawing heavily on Japanese anime for its ‘look’, the film is based on characters originally created by Marvel Comics and, although it’s not the first time we’ve been entertained by the antics of a boy and his robot (think of Robosapien: Rebooted and Real Steel, for example), it is the first time the robot has been inflatable. It’s a novel twist and it lends itself to lots of gags about Baymax’s size and shape, and what happens to him when his air pressure starts to fall.

This is a real treat for adults and kids alike - Baymax is a loveable supersized character whose simple ghost-like image makes him slightly weird but very accessible to all ages. And that’s the plus here, an animated film that crosses the divide between adults and children, always a bonus when you take the family for their festive holiday outing to the movies.

Grab a big bucket of popcorn and prepare to be transported.

// SALT

Previewed at Sony Theatre, Sydney, on Thursday 20 November 2014