Volt, star malgré lui

Story-wise, there's nothing remarkably new about "Bolt," Walt Disney Animation's latest feature to hit the screens, but considering its patchy recent filmography, it's certainly a step to the right direction for the animation studio, now headed by Pixar-meister John Lasseter. While it's far below the sophisticated narratives and well-drawn characters of Pixar classics such as "Toy Story," "The Incredibles" and this year's "Wall-E," "Bolt" nevertheless charms its way to the screen with its eager-to-please lead character and diverting visuals.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is the canine star of a TV show where he plays a superdog whose lifelong mission is to protect his "person", Penny (Miley Cyrus), from the evil forces around them. Problem is, as the creators of the show fervently believe that the show's success lies mainly in its realism, they have gone to great lengths to lead Bolt into believing everything is real and everything seems to be going well.

That is until a studio mishap has Bolt improbably shipped across the country from Hollywood to New York. With the help of Mittens (Susie Essman), an alley cat who strangely knows more about dog ways than Bolt himself, and Bolt-fanatic hamster Rhino (Mark Walton), he goes on a long cross-country tripping to find his way back to Penny.

Byron Howard and Chris Williams direct a calculated script by Williams and Dan Fogelman where nothing is terribly special, especially if you're not a dog-loving tween girl (I do love dogs, though), though it has enough sensitivity (that's Lasseter working) up its sleeve for some unashamedly touching moments. And with its cheery visuals, lively characters and a breezy pace, it also has enough going for the adults as well as the kids. It's safe harmless stuff.

Bolt is a fun movie! It's not harmful or offensive and it's got some heart and genius emotion. Lighten up!

This film is about a dog that believes his friend is in grave danger. What he does not know is that he is the star of a reality TV show.

Who would have thought "Bolt" would be so thrilling and entertaining! The opening action sequence is rushed with adrenaline, it excites me even though it is an animation! The plot is intelligent, interesting and fun, the great thing is that it entertains without the need of any toilet or gross out humour. The super-bark and laser eye scenes are so hilarious, in a cute and mesmerising way. In addition, the transition of Bolt from being a super dog to realising he he has no powers is very well presented, that it makes me feel sad for Bolt. The animation is flawless, and all the characters in the animation are super cute. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of "Bolt", I think it makes perfect family entertainment.

The plot concerns a dog (Bolt) who doesn't realize that his entire life is just a TV show. So, when he accidentally gets lost in the real world, he cannot understand why his super-powers have disappeared. And so, until he meets a wise and worldly cat, he flounders--unable to figure out how he got there or how to get back to the little girl he loves.

This is not the deepest story I have ever seen for a computer animated movie, but it was quite charming and fun--something that many other family movies could emulate. In fact, compared to previous Disney-produced CGI movies (other than those from the separate Pixar unit), BOLT is a significant improvement--both in story and in animation quality. If you don't believe this, just try watching CHICKEN LITTLE some time--it lacks the charm and universal appeal of BOLT. In other words, CHICKEN LITTLE was purely for very little kids--adults would mostly be bored by the film. MEET THE ROBINSONS was a bit of an improvement, but with BOLT I could finally enjoy the movie along with my kids.

Fun, well-animated and different. While not exactly a must-see, this is a very good film.

Bolt follows a canine actor known for playing a super hero on a TV show, he is supported from his owner and must find his way back to her, all while believing he truly has super powers.

Bolt is loads of fun! There are lots of creative action scenes, plenty of funny jokes, and even some emotional scenes. Bolt has the makings of a Disney classic, but it does come up a little short of the usual Disney magic.

Firstly, the story lacks depth, the story basically tells itself in the first 30 minutes, then fuels the rest with action, comedy and drama. Secondly Miley Cyrus proved to be an annoying choice for voicing one of the main characters, not only is she an ear-sore, but she struggles to express different emotions vocally, her voice feels fake and just detracts from the overall film.

Luckily there's still plenty good in Bolt, it's definitely a great choice for a family friendly action comedy!