Bolt

 

 

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The video would not play on my DVD machine. My husband looked at it and it is not for use in Canada...it is european dvd. I plan to contact the person from who I received it, but have not had the time. This is frustrating.

Frankly, I did not know what to expect when I took three grandchildren to see this film immediately after it arrived in Dallas months ago. We saw it at an IMAX theater in 3-D, an experience that reminded me of a time when (at their age) I was startled when Vincent Price began to hit a rubber ball with a wooden paddle at me and others in the audience at the Shore theatre in Chicago. This time around, I was soon unaware of the paper glasses and concentrated on an especially clever plot. Briefly, Bolt (voice of John Travolta) has become a celebrity dog because of his appearances on a television show during which (through special effects) he demonstrates super-canine powers when opposing evil forces in various forms, especially those that threaten his beloved owner, Penny (voice of Miley Cyrus). Bolt is convinced that he indeed possesses these powers. After all, he can "see" himself in action on film. And then, for reasons best revealed during a screening, Bolt and Penny are separated (a recurrent theme in most of Disney's feature animated films) and he must overcome all manner of obstacles to become reunited with her, another familiar Disney theme.

Of course, he collects some eccentric but likeable companions along the way.
I was especially impressed by the co-directors Byron Howard and Chris Williams keep the plot moving along at a lively pace and credit the screenplay's co-writers, Dan Fogelman (also the voice of Billy) and Chris Williams (another voice) with producing consistently entertaining dialog. It's always fun to try to recognize the voices provided to animated characters. Other than those of other than Travolta and Cyrus, the only other significant voices I recognized were James Lipton's as The Director and Malcolm McDowell's as Dr. Calico. Lipton is best known for his association with the Actors Studio (he conducts the interviews on PBS) and McDowell was unforgettable as the character Alex in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film, A Clockwork Orange.

The quality of this film's production values is very high. I especially enjoyed watching it in 3D and expect most (if not all) animated features to introduced in 3D. As is also true of so many other animated features produced by Disney's Pixar as well as DreamWorks, Bolt appeals to those of all ages. The special features that accompany the film in both DVD and Blu-ray formats (my copy is DVD only) really are special. They include an animated short film, "Super Rhino," and deleted scenes as well as several featurettes: "In Session with John Travolta and Miley Cyrus," "A New Breed of Director: The Filmmakers' Journey" and "Act, Speak! The Voices of Bolt."

As indicated, I really enjoyed seeing this film again as well as seeing the special features provided with it. I think Bolt is a worthy companion of Disney's other action/adventure animated features, notably The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under, and also resembles Disney's Pinocchio, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan in terms of its themes of separation and "grace under duress." Also, its clever use of loyal companions throughout a sometimes perilous journey before reaching a reunion or reconciliation of some kind. However, unlike most of these films, it has no scenes that may upset younger children. True to the studio's founder, Disney's animated features also affirm certain basic values of enduring importance. For Bolt, it means possessing authentic courage rather than the illusion of it.

Mittens: [to Bolt] The real world hurts, doesn't it?

Short Attention Span Summary (SASS):

1. Bolt (John Travolta) is a pup with super strength, laser vision, and all the other good stuff that comes with the portfolio of "superhero"
2. That is, once he's on the movie set of his hit series
3. He's never been off the movie set
4. He's totally devoted to his owner Penny (the ubiquitous Miley Cyrus)
5. Unforeseen script changes force him to perform a rescue, this time in the real world.
6. One word - Kryptonite
7. He captures a savvy alley cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and commands her to take him to her leader.
8. Hilarious adventures continue, thanks to some wacky pigeons and a scene stealing hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton)

This largely unappreciated, overlooked gem of a movie from Disney is perfect for kids and animal lovers everywhere.

Vinnie (a pigeon): You gotta gimme something here, cause this is redonkulous.
Bobby (another pigeon): Absolutely redonkulous!

Rated: 4.5 stars

Amanda Richards

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5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Adults too (and Dog and Cat people).
I just loved this movie with my 4 yr old nephew. My back was wet with sweat with the open sequence I was so into the excitement. Read more

Published 20 months ago by Glenn Laycock

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellente qualité + Combo Blu-Ray/DvD appréciable
Ce film d'animation est vraiment excellent dans tous les sens du terme.
Autant sur la technique d'image, que sur l'histoire que je trouve très sympathique. Read more

Published on Mar 26 2010 by C. Lafontaine

5.0 out of 5 stars Great price & fast shipping!
EXCELLENT price for product. Shipping from seller was super fast. Was very happy in all regards.

Published on July 11 2009 by Angie D

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful and fun (and trust me, I've been forced to watch it over and over by my kids!)
I just love this movie, I don't seem to tire of it either and I have two kids under 5 who love it as well - "Bolt Mummy!!! Read more

Published on Jun 5 2009 by Jacqueline Spence

5.0 out of 5 stars You don't have to be a kid to love this movie!
A wonderful movie about Bolt (John Travoltas voice is just perfect!) - a dog who is devoted to his "person" Penny . Read more

Published on April 27 2009 by Susieque

5.0 out of 5 stars Bolt
This is an absolute wonderfull movie, funny and a very happy movie. I would definitely recommend people of all ages to watch this delightful movie. Read more

Published on April 25 2009 by Olivia Benson

3.0 out of 5 stars Amazon Needs Help
Since when were the listed actors in this movie?
Just a question, but wondering why Amazon is about to release this product and it has the wrong information...

Published on Mar 19 2009 by Matthew A. Hawkins

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