Rating: 3 Stars (Out of Four)

“Big Hero 6” is a rarity among superhero movies these days. It is a piece of pop art from a bygone era that has been repackaged for today’s audience in glorious animation. It’s a lighthearted and whimsical adventure from Disney whose only goal is to provide good, old-fashioned entertainment and teach a few good lessons along the way.

With at least 30 new comic book adaptations being planned for the next six years, it feels refreshing to see something new that isn’t just another sequel, reboot or tie-in to some bigger cinematic universe.

Based on a Marvel Comics series, the story takes place in the futuristic city of San Fransokyo and focuses on Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter), a 14-year old robotics expert who inherits a robot named Baymax (Scott Adsit) after his brother is killed in an explosion at their school.

They later run afoul of a mysterious masked villain wielding a powerful new weapon and who is revealed to have been involved in the incident. Determined to get justice for his brother, Hiro enlists the help of his friends GoGo Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans Jr.), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez), and Fred (T. J. Miller) and they form a superhero team to catch the villain and uncover his plans.

If a plot like that sounds like something you’ve seen multiple times before, you’re probably right. “Big Hero 6” thrives on genre conventions but it’s also very satisfying to see them being put to use in animation instead of live-action, where they don’t come off as tired or unbelievable. There’s nothing wrong with going back to basics and directors Don Hall and Chris Williams make great use of the format to craft something remarkable that fully embraces its inherent silliness and just has fun with the material.

At the same time, there are plenty of tear-jerking moments as well. The chemistry between Hiro and Baymax is easily one of its greatest strengths, which is made possible only by Potter and Adsit’s superb vocal performances. Watching them converse with each other is both funny and truly moving during the important parts and will leave some people fighting back tears towards the end.

There’s a good piece of the plot that involves Hiro grieving over his brother’s death and the emotional support his friends provide, which eventually becomes a focal point for inspiring them to become heroes. Thankfully, these emotional scenes feel very real and don’t get swallowed up by the flashy visuals and high-powered action.

But for all the good things, there are also a few disappointments. The supporting characters are underdeveloped in favor of Hiro and Baymax and nearly all attempts at adult humor fall flat. Lines like “Diagnosis, puberty” and “It’s like spooning a warm marshmallow” feel awkward and needlessly vulgar. But these do not hurt the film as a whole and the rest of the voice cast are always able to liven things up.

Chung, Wayans Jr., and Rodriguez bring plenty of personality to their characters, while Miller steals every scene with his perfect comic timing. Maya Rudolph and Daniel Henney also provide good emotional edges as Hiro’s Aunt Cass and brother Tadashi, respectively.

Quite frankly, I really hope “Big Hero 6” never gets a sequel. We finally have a superhero movie that just wants to tell a good story and isn’t interested in becoming the next big Hollywood franchise. For a good 102 minutes, you get likable characters, thrilling action and a good balance of emotion and humor that would only feel superficial the next time around.

It’s the kind of film that teaches you how to enjoy what’s in front of you instead of just moving on to the next trend. And for all that, I’d say it’s worth watching.

Oh, and if you’re a major Marvel fan, stick around for the end-credits scene. You’ll be in for quite a treat.