Bolt: Do it for the kids

Review: Bolt (Disney, 2008)

Presented in English

Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Greg Germann, and Malcolm McDowell.

Imagine if Truman Burbank from “The Truma show” was an animated dog that got out of his dome by accident and discovered that his life has been a fraud, then you’d pretty much have the premise of the plot to Disney’s latest animation film, Bolt. As a puppy little Bolt was bought in a pet store by a television production company and in the name of “animal method acting” was made to believe that he really is a scientifically altered dog with super powers. Having never left the movie set in his life and after his owner and co-actor Penny was kidnapped on the show by their archenemy Dr. Calico, Bolt escapes his movie trailer and is accidentally mailed to New York where he meets a cat called Mittens, who he believes works for his enemy, and super fan of his show, Rhino the hamster, who believes that Bolt really is a super dog. During his journey back Bolt discovers that he is nothing more than a normal dog and learns what it means to be one.

The film has the classical elements of a road movie as well as a coming of age or a discovering-your-identity movie. It is never boring and full of adventures and comical situations that will keep kids glued to the screen. On a deeper level though there also seems to be a figurative side to the film that is implied now and then suggesting that Bolt has lost faith when he discovers that what he has always believed was man made. He discovers, however, that faith is important as well as loving the ones around you, even his enemy the cat.

Rhino the hamster steals the show with his incredible zeal whereas I was disappointed by Bolt’s voice. I think that John Travolta was not the right man for the job as Bolt’s voice-actor. He was nowhere near animated enough to make Bolt’s character come alive. I would have gone with a younger voice with perhaps a child-like enthusiasm and innocence.

Bolt is not as epic as “Finding Nemo”, but it is still very entertaining and will probably appeal to all future little urban soldiers in training.

Score: 6/10