Chris Williams
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Filmography
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Connections, in both directions
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Directed by Chris Sanders
influenced The Sea Beast (2022)
Themes Plot Visuals
Williams and company have borrowed heavily from the likes of DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon to classics like Moby Dick, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Mutiny on the Bounty, Master & Commander and Pirates of the Caribbean to even Williams’ own Moana.
Sure, hardened cynics could argue that the premise of “The Sea Beast” borrows heavily from “How to Train Your Dragon” (2010) with another brave youngster teaching Medieval adults not to fear the unknown, this time replacing Toothless with a sea monster named Red and an adorable sidekick named Blue that acts a lot like “Lilo & Stitch” (2002).
It helps that the beast's design evokes memories of Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon , and it's just as adorable and characterful.
His nemesis isn’t a great white whale but the mighty Red Bluster, a humongous beast with a manatee-ish shape, a rhino-reminiscent horn, a wide mouth of incisors that recalls the animal faces in How to Train Your Dragon , and expressive yellow feline eyes.
The story however may recall How to Train Your Dragon : humanity is forced to reconsider how they see fabled monsters when a young girl befriends the titular Moby Dick.
The similarities to DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon” franchise will be lost on no one.
Bolt lives on a Los Angeles sound stage constructed for his benefit to make him a more convincing animal actor; he spends every day in what seems like an 8-year-old's version of The Truman Show, saving his human friend Penny ( Miley Cyrus ) from nefarious, well-armed terrorists.
As written by Chris Williams and Dan Fogelman, and co-directed by Williams and Byron Howard, "Bolt" also has an intriguing plot that is kind of the family animation version of the Jim Carrey-starring "The Truman Show."
Like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show, the pup is not in on the secret that what he calls life is mindless entertainment for the masses.
But as Bolt finds when he escapes his trailer one day, that's all make-believe, a canine version of "The Truman Show."
A cross-breed of the live-action Disney adventure The Incredible Journey and the Big Brother aspects of The Truman Show, the computer-animated Bolt is the story of a sheltered dog who learns to make friends and think for himself when confronted with the real world.
Remember when you saw “The Truman Show” and thought, “Gee, this would have been better if instead of Jim Carrey it was a dog”?
Meanwhile, there’s some seriously fun action scenes (without some of the darkness and violence of other superhero films) that recall “The Incredibles.”
As far as 'toons go, it's probably most reminiscent of Pixar's "The Incredibles," given that both are stories about superhero teams.
Even if we’re just limiting ourselves to discussing animated superhero features, it wasn’t long ago that Pixar introduced us to The Incredibles -- a film that actually borrowed a good number of plot elements from Alan Moore’s Watchmen , one of the densest comic book stories ever written.
So, too, does the movie create parallels with “The Incredibles,” Pixar’s brilliant yarn about a family of misfit superheroes; when the plot mandates that Hiro and his schoolmates “enhance” themselves for battle against a this new and dangerous villain, they step into the roles of skilled alter-egos using their knowledge of science to fuel the physics of their costumes and super powers.
Big Hero 6 may be a little too glib to reach the heights of The Incredibles or The Iron Giant , but if you can’t have Brad Bird, this is pretty much the next best thing.
Despite its origins, some might view it as similar to "The Incredibles" (especially since both films come from the now merged Pixar-Disney conglomerate).
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Directed by James Cameron
influenced Big Hero 6 (2014)
Plot Themes Characters
In that vein, this is something of a kissing cousin, and a PG-rated one at that, to a somewhat similar set up in "Terminator 2" where Edward Furlong's character ended up teaching Arnold Schwarzenegger's android about being human (including the use of various slang phrases), all while ultimately learning a thing or two about humanity from the 'bot.
They are reminiscent of those moments in Terminator 2 when John Connor taught an otherwise murderous machine to become a kinder, gentler automaton.
A big, inflatable buddy—he's like an air mattress with arms, legs, and a head—Baymax is a cross between Wall-E, E.T, the Iron Giant, and Arnold Schwarzenegger's benevolent protector in Terminator 2. He's sweet and a little simple—his programming requires him to inquire constantly if Hiro is suffering any physical or emotional pain, which, duh, he is, because he lost his brother—but he turns out to be the companion the kid needs.
It harkens back to 1996’s The Iron Giant, though San Fransokyo residents are seemingly unfazed about seeing Baymax walk around their streets, unlike the people in that film.
The core of the film is the relationship between Hiro and Baymax, which is similar to the 1999 film “The Iron Giant,” also about a young boy and a robot.
They’re quite a pair—one not seen in movies since 1999’s The Iron Giant—though Hiro isn’t battling crime as much as he’s simply trying to move on from his brother’s death.
Like the robot pals in The Iron Giant and T2: Judgment Day , Baymax winds up exceeding his original programming — but where those robots were weapons humanized by bonding with a young boy, Baymax is a caregiver who becomes weaponized.
The movie is like a variety pack sampler of previous ’toon tales, with obvious lifts from The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, How to Train Your Dragon and Scooby-Doo.
In a blend of The Iron Giant and The Incredibles, Hiro and Baymax bond while also teaming up with Tadashi’s classmate friends (the film is refreshingly free of jabs at science “geeks”) to solve the mystery of the fire and the Kabuki mask-wearing fiend who’s stolen Hiro’s world-changing invention.
Beyond the fanciful implication of its original material – a comic book series that I never heard of prior to this undertaking – the movie also finds traces of inspiration from “Real Genius,” an obscure ‘80s comedy that effectively helped launch the career of Val Kilmer.
Baymax belongs to Hiro (Ryan Potter) and Tadashi (Tadashi), a pair of robotics and engi-nerd orphans straight out of Revenge of the Nerds or Real Genius.
The references come thick and fast – from E.T. to Short Circuit , with Big Hero 6 providing some particularly obvious inspiration and The Mitchells Vs The Machines exploring similar territory earlier this year.
Additionally, “Ron’s Gone Wrong” borrows from myriad other movies in telling the story of a lonely boy and his adorable but imperfect droid pal, from “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” and “Big Hero 6” to “Her” and even that forgotten ‘80s comedy “Electric Dreams.”
Like Big Hero 6, Smith and Co. take the time to develop their relationship, with Ron attempting to learn about Barney while figuring out how to become his friend.
The first feature from London-based high-end digital animation studio Locksmith Animation, Ron’s Gone Wrong t ranscends the familiarity of the story (there’s a thematic an overlap with Big Hero 6 and How To Train Your Dragon , to name just two) with deft writing, appealing animation and a big heart crammed into a small malfunctioning robot.
The design and mission of the B-Bots makes them appear to be a mix between EVE from WALL-E and Baymax from Big Hero 6 .
But it’s no Big Hero 6 or Wall-E.
Except for Baymax, and possibly Hiro, the team members are rudimentary sketches of clumsy or foxy nerds; the amiably doltish Fred, for example, is simply a pale copy of Shaggy, the Scooby-Doo sidekick voiced by Casey Kasem .
Treasure Planet (2002)
Directed by Ron Clements
influenced The Sea Beast (2022), Bolt (2008), Big Hero 6 (2014)
Themes
Big Hero 6 might be the geekiest Hollywood cartoon of all time, eclipsing the goofy science enthusiasm of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs , the video-game nostalgia of Wreck-It Ralph and the sci-fi worlds of Lilo & Stitch , Treasure Planet and Robots .
The Sea Beast, which channels Treasure Planet more than The Secret Life of Pets, is swashbuckling fun for kids and adults.
Bolt is the first animated Disney feature to be fully produced under John Lasseter’s watch, and the fact that it unspools like Pixar-light is at once a qualified compliment (hey, it’s better than prior Mouse House originals like Treasure Planet !) and further proof that Pixar’s greatest strength doesn’t derive simply from Lasseter’s (admittedly vital) imagination but, instead, from its collaborative environment of uniquely creative minds.
There’s a sharp visual style that is reminiscent of what Williams created in Moana, while increasing the attention to the animated texture, invoking the style of Miyazaki (Think Howl’s Moving Castle ), and the classic look of Disney’s Peter Pan .
Sure, it’s got robotics and superheroes, but it also has plenty of emotional resonance and, of course, merchandising gold in the form of an oversized, huggable vinyl balloon of a Personal Healthcare Companion that bears more than a passing physical resemblance to the star of Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro.
Appropriate for a movie that spans the divide between East and West — the action occurs in a San Francisco/Tokyo megalopolis called “San Fransokyo” — there’s also a debt owed to the art and characters of Studio Ghibli’s vivid fantasies, in particular the giant magical caregiver of My Neighbor Totoro.
(As voiced by “30 Rock’s” Scott Adsit, the character serves as a walking comedy routine — a throwback to the way Paul Reubens played things in “Flight of the Navigator” a generation earlier.)
Though every frame is great to look at, "Bolt's" script - by the co-writers of "Mulan" and "Cars" - lacks the wit of its closest Pixar relative, "The Incredibles."
This is a Disney film, so there's never any real question regarding Bolt and his friends' ultimate success or failure, but the writing team of Dan Fogelman (Cars) and co-director Williams (Mulan) has concocted one of the most witty and often hilarious Disney outings in years.
"Bolt" is also the directorial debut of Disney animation department vets Byron Howard and Chris Williams ("Mulan"), who cowrote the screenplay with Dan Fogelman ("Cars"), another Disney/Pixar marriage.
Animators Byron Howard and Chris Williams, whose previous work includes Chicken Little and Mulan, slide into the director's chair for the first time.
Chris Williams may not be a household name, but he directed some beloved Disney features such as Bolt and Big Hero 6 while having story credits for classics like Mulan and Moana.
After a very storied career in animation, with credits in classic Disney joints like Mulan and The Emperor’s New Groove to newer tales like Frozen and Moana, Chris Williams delivers an injection of that type of Disney heart into the new Netflix animated film The Sea Beast.
No matter, these are minor nits to pick compared to the brilliant character work by Williams and co-writer Nell Benjamin, who joined her husband Laurence O’Keefe to adapt “Legally Blonde” for Broadway in 2011, then adapted “Mean Girls” for the stage in 2018.
I'm not talking about myself, necessarily - I tend to be like Emperor Joseph II in Amadeus , only instead of hearing "too many notes" my eyes start glazing over at the sheer tonnage of cool shit on the screen.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
Directed by George Lucas
influenced The Sea Beast (2022)
Visuals
Plunging us into the photorealistic waters of a sunny, sea-faring kingdom — picture 18th century British colonialism if the monarchy had permanently moved its headquarters to a floating Caribbean fortress city inspired by “The Phantom Menace” — “The Sea Beast” begins hundreds of years into a war between pirate-like hunters and the Godzilla-sized monsters that patrol their shipping lanes.
Baymax evidences the same kindness as the robot played by Robin Williams in Bicentennial Man whose mantra is "glad to be of service."
Big Hero 6, which is directed by Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh) and Chris Williams (Bolt), is the product of the ruthlessly calculated mating of two giant brands — Marvel, owners of the comic book superhero team on which the movie's loosely based, and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney's flagship of animated features going back to 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
The behind-the-scenes talent of "Zootopia" includes a tandem of directors known for other hits --- Rich Moore for "Wreck-It Ralph", who also directed 17 "Simpsons" episodes, Byron Howard for the underrated "Tangled", plus co-director Jared Bush for "Big Hero 6".
Goodwin's voice performance does a lovely job of establishing the mix of determination and self-doubt that follows Judy into her work, while the screenplay by Jared Bush (Big Hero 6) and Phil Johnston (Wreck-It Ralph) effectively introduces background elements that impact her personality, like the anxiety of her own parents and a traumatic childhood encounter.
Following on the heels of such winners as “Big Hero 6” (2014) and “Frozen” (2013), “Zootopia” demonstrates how complete the Disney comeback now is.
I'm not persuaded that Disney's love affair with fully-rendered CGI is paying off dividends: it's a little distressing how much Zootopia doesn't deviate from the exact aesthetic that the studio has been using throughout the 2010s (it looks very like Big Hero 6 in most ways that aren't directly related to the animals' surfaces), and more than any of their movies of the 2010s, this is the one that I most desperately wish had been done in cel-style 2-D animation.
Big Hero 6 co-directors Chris Williams (Bolt) and Don Hall (2011's Winnie the Pooh) exert great effort to sell the film's main theme — being a nerd is cool — to younger moviegoers, which isn't difficult given that our gadget-driven culture echoes a similar sentiment.
Directors Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”) have done a great job creating a pint-sized origins story, inspired by the titular comic book heroes.
But directors Don Hall (“Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”) overcome this by capitalizing on the evolving relationship between Hiro and Baymax.
Still, the creations being mined by directors Don Hall (2011’s “Winnie the Pooh”) and Chris Williams (“Bolt”) have a negligible history – they’re mostly just monikers and costumes, really.
Check the résumé of its two directors and you can understand the philosophy here: Don Hall's 2011 Winnie the Pooh was almost Zen-like in its minimalist adorableness, while Chris Williams' 2008 Bolt was a kid-sized action movie that never missed a chance to poke your heart.
The whole thing is helmed by two Disney veterans who are really only just starting to make their mark as directors: Don Hall, who was a writer on 2009's " The Princess and the Frog " and who co-directed 2011's so-so "Winnie the Pooh"; and Chris Williams, who co-directed 2008's even less memorable "Bolt" before working as a story artist on both "Wreck-It Ralph" and "Frozen."