Bolt
The best way to describe Bolt, the new CGI-animated film from Disney (not Disney-Pixar) is a cross between Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and The Truman Show. You see Bolt centres on a young dog (voiced by John Travolta) who was been raised on the set of an action-packed TV show. To maximise the credibility of Bolt’s performance, the cameramen are hidden, and special effects secretly engineered, leading Bolt to believe he really has super powers.
In fact, the only thing genuine about Bolt’s life is the love his “person,” young TV star Penny (Miley Cyrus) has for him. She hates the charade Bolt is forced to live with, but is advised to go along with it by her sycophantic, money-grubbing agent.
Eventually though Bolt takes his role as Penny’s protector too seriously and after a cliff-hanger episode ending, where it looks like Penny has been kidnapped, he escapes in a bid to rescue her. Now stranded in the real world, Bolt embarks on a cross-country adventure to return to Penny – and in the process learns what it is to be a real dog, sans super powers.
There’s no question about it – Bolt is fluff. The film is very cute, but as far as the storyline goes, events are very predictable, having been depicted many times before in other family films. This said, if you are an animal lover it’s exceptionally easy to overlook Bolt’s flaws, slip your brain into neutral and just cruise along on a pleasant, largely unchallenging ride (even if the film starts tugging at your heartstrings towards its conclusion).
Much credit must go to the film makers who have captured animal mannerisms with a spot-on accuracy that will trigger a warm, fuzzy feeling of recognition in every pet owner. In recent years the animals in CGI-animated films have tended to be given an anthropomorphic treatment – i.e. they’re humanised. In Bolt though, the animals remain very, well, animal-like, particularly in their movements and emotive reactions. This gives the film a level of credibility that is far more likely to engage the viewer.
Also in Bolt’s favour is its cast of appealing characters. High up on the list are Mittens, a streetwise alley cat who serves as a much needed voice of reason, and Rhino, a hyperactive, TV-obsessed hamster, who, like Bolt, is unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality.
It’s important to note that while Travolta and Cyrus have their names in bold on the poster, Bolt isn’t about forcing a gimmicky celebrity voice cast on audiences. The 2 stars integrate easily with their characters.
Speaking of gimmicks, it doesn’t really matter whether you see Bolt in 3D or not. The 3D format certainly creates the impression of depth onscreen, and is attractive to look at, but at very few points in the film do you feel like scenes have been deliberately warped to show off the format's capabilities. Fortunately. Bolt is action-packed but it doesn’t strive to be overly wacky and frenetic like, say, Madagascar or Meet the Robinsons.
Ultimately Bolt makes for an excellent family film, offering solid and wholesome entertainment for children and adults alike. Recommended, especially if you are a pet lover or have little ones to keep amused.
In fact, the only thing genuine about Bolt’s life is the love his “person,” young TV star Penny (Miley Cyrus) has for him. She hates the charade Bolt is forced to live with, but is advised to go along with it by her sycophantic, money-grubbing agent.
Eventually though Bolt takes his role as Penny’s protector too seriously and after a cliff-hanger episode ending, where it looks like Penny has been kidnapped, he escapes in a bid to rescue her. Now stranded in the real world, Bolt embarks on a cross-country adventure to return to Penny – and in the process learns what it is to be a real dog, sans super powers.
There’s no question about it – Bolt is fluff. The film is very cute, but as far as the storyline goes, events are very predictable, having been depicted many times before in other family films. This said, if you are an animal lover it’s exceptionally easy to overlook Bolt’s flaws, slip your brain into neutral and just cruise along on a pleasant, largely unchallenging ride (even if the film starts tugging at your heartstrings towards its conclusion).
Much credit must go to the film makers who have captured animal mannerisms with a spot-on accuracy that will trigger a warm, fuzzy feeling of recognition in every pet owner. In recent years the animals in CGI-animated films have tended to be given an anthropomorphic treatment – i.e. they’re humanised. In Bolt though, the animals remain very, well, animal-like, particularly in their movements and emotive reactions. This gives the film a level of credibility that is far more likely to engage the viewer.
Also in Bolt’s favour is its cast of appealing characters. High up on the list are Mittens, a streetwise alley cat who serves as a much needed voice of reason, and Rhino, a hyperactive, TV-obsessed hamster, who, like Bolt, is unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality.
It’s important to note that while Travolta and Cyrus have their names in bold on the poster, Bolt isn’t about forcing a gimmicky celebrity voice cast on audiences. The 2 stars integrate easily with their characters.
Speaking of gimmicks, it doesn’t really matter whether you see Bolt in 3D or not. The 3D format certainly creates the impression of depth onscreen, and is attractive to look at, but at very few points in the film do you feel like scenes have been deliberately warped to show off the format's capabilities. Fortunately. Bolt is action-packed but it doesn’t strive to be overly wacky and frenetic like, say, Madagascar or Meet the Robinsons.
Ultimately Bolt makes for an excellent family film, offering solid and wholesome entertainment for children and adults alike. Recommended, especially if you are a pet lover or have little ones to keep amused.
Comments
I've yet to experience a 3D film in a cinema tho...one day.