Bolt
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Cast: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, Malcolm McDowell, James Lipton.
Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams.
Story: Dog plays super-dog, doesn't realise he's just acting.
Running Time: 1hr 43 minutes.
UK certificate PG, US certificate PG. |
Yes, I know it's a kids' movie - but wear a hat and dark glasses, no-one will know it's you. You'll be
glad you did.
Confusingly, although Bolt starts with a mini Pixar sketch (featuring Tow Mater from Cars), Bolt
isn't actually a Pixar movie. John Lasseter (director of Cars and Toy Story) is listed as
executive producer, but it's Disney who hold the big stick. And for the first time, it's actually as good as a Pixar
production - in fact I would say it's more fun to watch than Wall-E. The animation is
exceptional - the movie opens with a shot of a shop window, with the street reflected in the glass. I found myself
thinking, "oh, I didn't realise there was live action in this movie," before one of the cartoony humans appeared - it
really does look that good. Oh, and you can see it in 3D as well - that is, if you live somewhere more culturally
advanced than Basingstoke...
The characters are superb, too. John Travolta's voicing of the little dog Bolt is fantastic - on a par with Jack Black's
Kung Fu Panda - and the hamster-in-a-ball Rhino is hilarious. The story could be better -
Bolt is a doggy actor in a TV series but doesn't realise it - he thinks his super powers are real but the TV crew just
choreograph the action to fool him. It doesn't take long before you stop tutting about how daft that idea is and settle
down to business, delighting in how real the dog's movements are, or how astonishing the fur effect is. There's none of
the in-jokes for adults that we often see in movies like this, but don't let that put you off, as the movie's appeal
transcends the age gap - everyone will come out smiling.
Bolt is yet another top drawer animation, and it's the first really good one from Disney. If I had to choose one from
the past year, I'd still go for Kung Fu Panda, but I wouldn't argue with anyone who
picked Bolt. You'll just have to see both.
I enjoyed this film: 5/5
I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: 5/5
Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: 0/5
To enjoy this film: turn up.
Bolt was released in the UK on 6th February 2009.
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