Bolt Movie Review
Last Updated (Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00) Written by Michelle Tuesday, 30 December 2008 19:24
In short, this is a wonderful family movie that will appeal to children and adults alike. The plot moves along quickly and there is just the right amount of action to keep the viewer entertained whether young or young at heart.
Bolt is the story of a dog who has been raised since puppyhood as an action hero in a TV show. His “person” is Penny, a young girl actress who truly loves Bolt for the real dog he is. Bolt’s entire existence is on the movie stage so he only knows himself as a dog with superpowers: the bark than can rip up asphalt, the laser-beam stare. The movie opens with a glimpse of the TV series, which seems like a James Bond/Die Hard action scene with a lot of bad guys in heavy machinery.
The villain in the movie, if there is one, is Penny's obnoxious agent. He and the shows producer want to keep Bolt locked up so that he doesn’t experience “a real life” in order to keep Bolt’s acting authentic.
The story:
A combination of events not only gets Bolt out of the Hollywood studio, it ships him across the country to the mean streets of Manhattan. Bolt believes Penny has been kidnapped at the same time his superpowers wane. Because Dr. Calico (the prime villain of the TV series) has a fondness for cats, Bolt corners Mittens to help him find Penny even though he considers felines to be "degenerate creatures of darkness." Mittens is short on enthusiasm for assisting Bolt until she realizes he is her meal ticket.
As this odd pair travels west (back to Hollywood), they're joined by a crazy hamster named Rhino. Rhino is a big fan of Bolt's TV show and is overwhelmed by the star presence of his hero, Bolt.
Together, this strange trio travels westward as Bolt learns how to be a regular dog instead of a superhero, and all three learn the power of friendship.
As a movie, Bolt is appealing because the characters are unique, wacky and able to engage our emotions. The sidekicks Mittens and Rhino convey their personalities perfectly: Mittens as the arrogant (but hungry) cat and Rhino as the enthusiastic and cheerful (and brave) hamster.
"Bolt" is the first animated feature to come out of the Disney Studios since Pixar’s John Lasseter stepped in. He has made an important difference in the direction Disney Studios animation is going, while still maintaining some of the traditions that make Disney movies the classics they have always been. Continuing with Disney tradition, there is only one parent in the movie, but in a rare change of events it is a mother!