By snoadmin
What do you get when you cross John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, and Walt Disney animation? You get “Bolt,” the first digital 3-D family-friendly feature to be churned out by Disney animators this season.
The film takes you through the life of Bolt (John Travolta), a lovable American White Shephard who is convinced that the superpowers he possesses on his hit TV show are actually real. His super strength, black lightening bolt-shaped spot, and Superbark that can shake the foundation of the Earth are all fabricated by technicians at the network. The show’s producers go out of their way to shield the oblivious pooch from the truth in order to make the show seem more realistic to viewers.
Bolt also believes his sole mission in life is to save his person, Penny (Miley Cyrus), from the evil clutches of the notorious Green-Eyed Man. Cue the most clichéd TV villain in history, stroking a cat and laughing maniacally as Penny is subjected to his torment in every episode.
Bolt never has a chance to experience real life as a normal dog — that is, until he is accidentally shipped from his studio to New York. The majority of the film consists of his journey to get back to Hollywood, as he teams up with a pessimistic alley cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and Rhino (Mark Walton), a feisty, television-addled hamster that worships Bolt’s superhero persona.
This small team, who seems to represent the domesticated food chain, sticks together and is helped along the way by flocks of pigeons, whose hilarious mannerisms and dialogue add a quirky touch to the plot line.
The dog and cat pair provides continuous entertainment throughout the movie, especially when Mittens unveils to Bolt the simple joys of being a dog. But the tiny hamster in his plastic ball tends to steal the show with his spastic attempts at heroism and his unfettered dedication to being a die-hard action super fan.
Longtime Disney aficionados will appreciate the classic Disney recipe used in the movie: cute animals with big, sad eyes plus witty dialogue equal the perfect feel-good flick, while the average moviegoer may be slightly disappointed at the lack of publicity preceding the film and lack of general artistry that has accompanied past hit animations such as Pixar’s “Wall-E.”
The acting, however, is more than impressive. Miley Cyrus will definitely attract a large kiddie fanbase with her success as Penny, and although John Travolta seems a surprising choice to play the little white dog, he manages to pull off the role.
Bolt teaches us to be ourselves, to never give up, and to always be there for our friends. And even though we learn those things in almost every other saccharine Disney film released in the past two decades, “Bolt” still manages to pull off the message while being cute, fresh, and even tear-inducing
Bolt strikes into theaters nationwide on Nov. 21.
Three out of Four Stars
Summary: Bolt, a celebrity canine with a huge heart, proves you don’t need superpowers to be a hero.
Our take: It’s Homeward Bound meets sci-fi, and it’s Superbarking it’s way to our hearts.
