User reviews

Standing out in the crowd is not always the easiest thing to accomplish for an animated film, but above what you may expect, against WALL∙E's heart, and Kung Fu Panda's slapstick hilarity, Disney's Bolt jumps forward as simply the most fun.

What makes Bolt noteworthy as well as a success on its own terms is its ability to take an age-old message about being true to oneself and finding your inner hero, and mesh it with a unique storyline that ends up spawning what, at first glance at least, seems wholly unique. Coupled with the expectedly bright crisp animation and stellar voice work, makes Bolt better yet, and a sure contender for best animated film at this years Oscars. Bolt also reclaims the original song work of Disney past, conceived between its also star and teen sensation Miley Cirus and Jenny Lewis and both compilations are memorable and sweet. Bolt never dives for the heartstrings, but scores its emotional points through well developed characters and thoughtful situations.

Bolt opens with a very entertaining action sequence in which Bolt (voiced to surprising effect by John Travolta) and his master Penny (Miley Cirus) are chased by well equipped super villains which plays out in the vein of The Incredibles. The genetically altered canine can leap helicopters in a single bound, melt evil with laser eyes and destroy villains at a whim with his super-bark. It is soon revealed that the action speckled lives of Penny and Bolt is in fact a hit television show, which requires Bolt to be kept in the dark about the nature of his existence; in brief, he actually believes he has super powers. But after a cliff-hanger ending of an episode in which Penny is taken, prompts Bolt to escape, determined to reclaim his friend and master. Embarking for the first time into the real world he haphazardly enlist the help of a very reluctant cat (Susie Essman) and a fan-boy err...fan- hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton) and along the way learns, and earns, the true stripes of a hero and that of friendship.

If everything I mentioned above was not enough to make you see this film, I can also reveal that Bolt is an at times hilarious send-up of the movie industry and genre clichés. Propelled by the hilarious supporting voice work including Malcolm McDowell, Dietrich Bader and James Lipton the blend of comedy, drama, and flat out entertainment value is unmatched. Also worth an enthusiastic mention are the pigeons that show up throughout the course of Bolt's adventure. Not only (as with all) is the voicing perfect but the physical humour implored is gut-busting, with the feathery fools twitching their heads in a pigeon- esquire way during their meetings with Bolt to glorious results.

If you have a chance, you obviously should see this film in 3-D, however it is still well worth your money viewed in a traditional medium. Bolt is a reminder of why Disney was such an animation juggernaut and it is pleasant to see them recapturing some of their past glory. And just in case you want it mentioned bluntly, yes there are many jokes that older patrons will more then enjoy. It is always refreshing to see an old formula revamped so effectively and certainly always welcome to see a movie that can put a smile on faces of all ages.

8.5 / 10.0

View all my reviews at Simon Says Movie Reviews: www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com

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!

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.

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

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, I honestly don't know what to say about this film because honestly I feel bad about saying this, I love Disney so much, but this movie didn't do anything for me. First off this was one of the strangest casts, I do like John Travolta, but I just couldn't see him as Bolt for some reason, his voice just threw me off completely. Miley Cyrus, this movie became more about her and I think they were just trying to attract her fans to this movie. The only thing that I really did enjoy from Bolt was the hamster, Rhino, he was just absolutely cute, he could have been annoying, but he's like the ultimate fan that loves you so much that it turns around and you like him right back. The animation, it was decent, 3-D is just becoming so huge this year I think. The story is just The Truman Show with a dog, it also kind of reminded me of Homeward Bound, so this is something we've seen before.

A super-dog named BOLT, whose days are filled with danger and intrigue-at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood sound stage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet-a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions-a jaded, abandoned house cat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino -Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero.

While I wasn't into this movie, I think it's a great family film, especially for the kids, it's a guaranteed fun time for them. The characters are cute, but it's Rhino and Mittens who steal the show. I don't know about you, but I think this movie had a little bit of a rip off from Animaniacs, those pigeons in the beginning reminded me too much of the Goodfeathers and Mittens reminded me a bit of Rita, if you've seen the show, you know what I'm talking about and will agree with me. Bolt is worth the look, but I'm not that impressed with it, watch it with the kids and for the fun 3-D stuff. The story is just a little unoriginal but the characters make it worth your while.

6/10

Its an animated movie about a dog. GIVEN, its a 'kids' movie. Unlike many animated movies, the dialog isn't full of innuendos or 'hidden' humor that only adults would 'get'. Its easily understood by kids, the animation is top-rate (as would be expected) and the characters are engaging and easy to enjoy. I admit that even though I love animation, I went to this sneak preview with a few misgivings. The trailers didn't look all that exciting, and I didn't expect to see anything I hadn't already seen. On one hand, I was right. The animation WAS very good, but nothing that hadn't been done before. But on the other hand I was pleasantly wrong. The formula works perfectly for Bolt. It was fun, didn't have any 'dull' spots, and while my theater was filled with a fairly consistent mix of children and young teens, and a relative smattering of adults, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Laughter was pretty consistent among the old and young, and at the end of the flick I heard something I rarely get to experience in theaters these days: applause. Granted, the adults were the ones applauding, and I joined in enthusiastically. The wife and I agree that this was one movie where we felt we got more than our dollars' worth. Thats a rare treat. Bolt did not disappoint on any level -and will find a spot in our library when the DVD eventually hits market. I fully expect this movie to do very well.

I saw a preview screening of "Bolt" just a short while ago. The theater was packed. It turned out to be very funny and enjoyable film. Bolt is a dog that thinks his superpowers are real. He works with his owner, Penny, in a action shown on TV. Bolt runs away when Penny leaves him for the night. He goes all over the place to find her and meets some other animals along the way. The characters in the movie are all very creative and funny, especially the hamster who turns out to be a big fan of Bolt. There is also a character named Mittens (a stray alley cat) that Bolt meets about half way through the movie. This may not be the best animated film you will ever see, but it is still one worth seeing. I would recommend this movie to anyone- not just kids.

I have been anticipating the release of Bolt for several months. I had an opportunity to see a screening of it and it exceeded all my expectations. Bolt is a wonderful movie with a good story and heart, something that Pixar has done well but Disney has struggled with. I believe the addition of John Lasseter to Disney Animation has made a significant impact on the quality and continuity of this film. Yes, it is CGI. You may ask, "Why is Disney doing CGI when Pixar already does?" All the studios are doing CGI right now. I have been very impressed with Pixar's CGI detail, however the detail in Bolt is even better. Creating a dog with fur that gets dirty, wet, wind-blown and looks real is very impressive (at least it is to me). In addition to better detail, the color and light of this film is so true to life, you'll think it's the real thing.

I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat. Disney has created some lovable characters who will definitely win the hearts of millions. Congrats to the entire Disney Animation studio, well done.

Lets face it, the early 00s were not kind on Disney. The Renaissance was over, their loyal target audience was in college and thus not interested, Pixar was doing the whole CGI thing way better than them and all in all they seemed to have lost their touch. Until this film. Oh sure, it's still very much like something Pixar would have done and a bit missing on that Disney magic, but it's still a very good film that allowed them to get back on their feet.

And when I say it's something Pixar would have done, I mean that in a good way. Kind of. The plot features a dog, raised to believe he has genuine superpowers, suddenly being separated from his loyal owner Penny and now having to make his way back across USA to reunite with her. All the while having to learn that the world does not in fact play by his rules. Sounds like a Pixar movie, doesn't it. But then again, Pixar is a great film studio so that's not exactly an insult.

And the story and the characters are very good in their own right. Bolt, the eponymous main character, is very gruff and no-nonsense, but also delightfully naïve about the realities of the world, while Mittens, his new cat sidekick/helper/kidnap victim is pretty much the exact opposite. And then there is Rhino, a hamster trapped in a plastic ball and also one of Bolt's biggest fans. Rhino is awesome.

And yeah, it's kind of silly that I keep complaining about the fact that it's so much a Pixar film. It does make it seem a bit artificial in a way, because you know that they're copying much of their good material. But it's a good film, when all is said and done. Do see it, if you have the chance, is what I'm saying.

The 2000s have not been very kind to Walt Disney Animation. While there has been the occasional Emperor's New Groove or Lilo and Stitch, the majority of their films from this decade have been rather mediocre (most notably 2005's Chicken Little, which - ironically - remains the studio's highest-grossing film of the 2000s). With that said, I initially had some doubts about Bolt, despite hearing that it would be Disney Animation's first film supervised by Pixar founder John Lasseter. The surprisingly positive reviews posted shortly before the film's release convinced me to buy a ticket. Thankfully, I was forced to eat my words; welcome back, Disney.

The film revolves around Bolt, a white German Shephered who has spent his entire life on the set of a TV show in which he portrays a "superdog". As a result, he believes that the events on film (and his super powers) are real. When he is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he embarks on a cross-country journey to reunite with his owner and co-star, Penny. Along the way, Bolt teams up with a jaded alley cat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino who also happens to be an extreme Bolt fanboy.

First of all, the effects in this movie are unbelievable. Everything in the movie looks so realistic and yet doesn't contradict with the animated cartoon-esquire characters. Also, while Bolt is obviously the star of the movie, the real comedy comes from his unlikely companions. In fact, my favorite character of the bunch is Mittens the cat, voiced excellently by Susie Essman. Very seldom do I hear/see a character and say "I can't imagine anybody doing a better job playing him/her", but Essman really brings a lot to this already memorable character. And though I found him to be pretty irritating at first, some of the best lines in the movie come from Rhino the hamster.

Lastly, in one of the opening scenes we see Bolt as he is in the TV Show to set the understanding of Bolt's world. Seriously, that was made of awesome. The scene was action packed and full of excitement. I would watch the show that Bolt is in. If I had to have a complaint, it would be that it takes some ideas from several other films (such as Homeward Bound, Toy Story, and The Truman Show). That said, it still manages to feel like its own film, and with grace.

With terrific animation, an incredibly heartwarming story, and some of the most endearing characters I've ever seen on film (animated or otherwise), Bolt has not only become my favorite Disney film (Pixar included), but perhaps my absolute favorite movie of all time. It feels strange saying that, especially considering that I didn't even expect to like the film, but I simply can't think of a movie that I've loved more. It's also one of the very few films that manages to bring me to tears every time that I watch it, and when a movie is able to affect me on that kind of level, it automatically becomes a winner.

Bolt is Walt-Disney animation feature that tells the adventures of Bolt, a dog actor, and his quest to find his master after a series of events brings him to the other part of the USA.

The story uses well-known traditional stories, a dog going back to his owner after traveling hundreds of miles, and the story of a character that believes the world that surrounds him is real and not built to make him believe so. In fact, you find the same elements in the old classic Lassie, and in the modern classic The Truman's Show. In that regard, Bolt is a revamped Lassie with a Truman's syndrome. These elements are well mixed and twisted to create an original, enjoyable and humorous adventure of love, faith, and identity.

I found the first minutes, with puppy Bolt adorable. Then, I was quite irritated with the first minutes of the action movie, until the original story starts. So, if you don't feel appealed by the James-Bond-ish persecution, just wait a few minutes and give the movie a chance.

The characters are very likable, especially Rhino the overweight excitable hamster, masterfully voiced by Mark Walton, the mater-of-fact but helpful cat Mittens, voiced by Susie Essman, and the several groups of pigeons that appear in the movie, which I found hilarious. Bolt's sweet confused character is voiced by an almost unrecognizable John Travolta, while sweet Penny is voiced by another unrecognizable Miley Cyrus. In fact, all the dubbing is terrific.

The animation is very good, especially the gorgeous mate-painting backgrounds, which portrait with accuracy and lyricism the diversity of the USA's landscapes, and make the trip through the country real and believable. Some of the details of the vegetation are just amazing, as well the landscaping layout, house architecture, the colors, and a magnificent lighting. The drawing of the leading characters is just OK, a little bit chunky and lacking in detail and limited movement for both Bolt and Mittens. However, the ensemble is very good, and the dubbing helps tremendously to make the characters come to life.

An lovely family film with great animation, entertaining plot, characters and soundtrack

Finally ... a funny animation movie this year ... i was losing hope to find something valuable and worth watching and this one was my paid .... It's all about a little dog which found itself a big hero destroying cars killing the bad ones to protect it's person ... he got lost in a big van so he met the cat and got into a great adventure , but suddenly Bolt discovers that he isn't the great super dog and it's just the painful reality ... at last he saves his person and a happy ending for all , I want to say that 7/10 for an animation movie is a very good mark so this is what i will rate Bolt with ... Bolt is a great and funny film so , even if you are not a big fan to the animation world you won't regret it at all .

I was really not expecting much, was looking to one of those generic "newgen" 3D animations but, oh, I was so wrong. I can easily say Bolt is pretty much at par with Wall-E, the 2 21th century animations that conquered my heart.

Few times I laughed, few times I had watery eyes, and it's impossible not to adore the characters and be at the edge of the seat as you follow the story. Also really loved the "authentic" finale with Penny and Bolt.

The Real D (my first ever 3D glasses movie too) was the cherry on the cake with the astonishing graphics.

We got the opportunity to see this in a sneak preview in 3D and were very entertained. Great plot, great animation and the 3D was amazing. Sometimes felt like Bolt's head was towering over the audience. Good thing he didn't drool!

All the characters were great. The pigeons were great comic relief. It's amazing the amount of detail the animators put in. Watching the way the pigeons moved their heads was entertaining in itself. Rhino and Mittens were also hilarious while having more depth as well. A lot of Rhino's great lines were in the preview but didn't exactly play out in the story the way they seemed like they were going to. Even with that, he was hilarious. Obviously the plot is predictable but it's a very fun story. We were laughing out loud throughout this movie.

Skip Bond and see Bolt.

In Bolt, a TV-show canine (John Travolta), who doesn’t know he’s on a TV show and therefore has no super powers, races across the country to find his TV girl-owner (Miley Cyrus), convinced she’s in the clutches of the evil Dr. Calico, the bad guy on the show. Aided by a cynical alley cat and a hamster in a transportation ball, Bolt must fight the forces of gravity and the other laws of physics to be reunited with his Penny in this sweet, charming Disney animated film.

It’s encouraging to see a good Disney-only animated film for a change. Bolt does what an animated movie should do – it has a quick pace, it’s humanistic, it’s funny, and it’s adventurous. Oh, and there’s character growth. It’s no surprise that the intended audience – little kids, not me – found this entertaining, on average.

Bolt, an American White Shephard, escapes from his trailer on the set of his hit television series and finds himself shipped to the East Coast. Thinking that his Penny is in imminent danger from the man with the green eye (played with the usual maniacal glee of Malcom McDowell), Bolt tries to use his super powers – super speed, the ability to shoot lasers from his eyes, a Super Bark – to rescue her. Of course, since he’s just a normal dog, these super powers don’t work, but they do lead to some hilarious physical comedy.

One departure this movie offers is the casting of unknowns in key roles. Mittens the Cat is played by Susie Essman, and the scene-stealing Rhino the Hamster is voiced by Mark Walton. Who and who? And yet both actors are perfect for the roles. Sometimes it pays to cast someone based purely on their fit for a character, rather than hiring a “name” actor and letting their celebrity overtake the character completely. Which is how Disney did it for years and years; when the studio enjoyed its resurgence in 1989 with The Litter Mermaid, it cast Buddy Hackett amid character actors, and the landscape of animation changed. Next thing you know, you had Robin Williams in Aladdin and James Earle Jones in The Lion King. Not that these were bad casting choices, but they represented a change from olden times, for the most part.

Travolta is excellent as the intrepid, resilient, and initially deluded Bolt, a canine who learns that his super powers come from within him. Why, he had the power to save Penny all along! All he had to do was click his heart together, and.. Oh, never mind. The point is, Bolt learns that help can come from unlikely sources (a cat!), and comic relief is always welcome (a hamster!) And Cyrus – who has limited screen time, compared with Travolta – is spot on as the innocent Penny, who pines for her lost pup. In fact, if it weren’t for an extended musical montage (sung by Jenny Lewis), this would have been a great movie instead of merely a very good one, but you can’t please everyone.

I can't remember any film produced by Disney that I ever disliked. Every movie they made, whether it's Pixar or not, is a great movie to watch. Bolt is no exception. In fact, this brings Disney to another level.

This film is about the bonds of friendship between Bolt, a "superdog" and Penny, a young actress. Bolt thinks he has super powers but he he obviously does not. He realizes that when he takes a cross-country trek with a mangy cat and a weird hamster to save his human companion.

I guess you could say the voiceovers are great. John Travolta and Miley Cyrus certainly did a good job.

I liked the music in this film. I shouldn't be surprised because Travolta did star in Grease thirty years ago. The duet with Cyrus is a great song.

This movie deserved to win some bigtime awards. The only reason this did not happen because Wall-E overshadowed this film.

This is one of the best Disney animated films this decade. Actually, most of them are great animations. Anyway, I rate this film 10/10.

I find most animated films of late to be very entertaining. The best are the ones with a lot of humor. There are exceptions to that ("The Polar Express," for example) but humor seems to go hand-in-hand with animated feature films.

I say all of the above because this Disney animated film, "Bolt," wasn't too funny. Thus, at least for me, I didn't think this was involving and entertaining enough for me to care about the story much after the first half hour. I didn't find the characters appealing nor the story and I thought the graphics were overrated.

I disagree with most of the national film critics who thought this was great. "Penny," voiced by Miley Cyrus, was a bit aggravating and John Travolta doing the dog's voice was just too weird. Maybe I'm just not used to hearing Travolta's voice on animated films, but it just did not sound right here. It would up being a distraction from the story, and I see other reviewers here agree with me on that one.

They lost me early on when the dog was shipped a long way in a box with no room to breathe, no air holes, and yet.....no problem. Hey, I know it's just fiction and a fun, animated movie but let's have some sense of realism on things like that.

I'm normally easy to please with animated stuff, so it's unusual for me to be disappointed as I was with this one.

After numerous duds, Disney has finally brought some quality entertainment on screen. Perhaps John Lasseter had a lot to do with it. The animation is similar to that of Pixar, detailed, vivacious and colourful. The story moves at a steady pace and even though it isn't anything new, it has its own charm and the adventurous feel. I loved the characters Bolt, Mittens and Rhino. They form a very entertaining trio. Travolta, Essman and Walton are great together. The Penny character is clichéd and Miley Cyrus's bad voice acting doesn't help much but thankfully she's not the main lead. I am also additionally glad that none of her songs appeared in her soundtrack other than the one she terribly sang with Travolta. The pigeons were laugh-out-loud hilarious. I loved how they moved their heads in a darting motion. If one took notice, the three pigeons in the beginning move differently from the three that appear in the end. 'Bolt' is the Disney movie that one has been waiting for. It's probably been ages since they have had a winner (the last one being 'Lilo and Stitch'?) and it's good to see them back with something solid.