Bolt
Families on the lookout for a half term cinematic diversion can do a lot worse than Bolt, the latest animated feature from Disney.
The eponymous Bolt has been raised to believe the action packed television programme he stars in is real, and that he really has superpowers. His teenage owner Penny is reluctantly complicit in this Truman Show-esque hoax, but every time she gets a twinge of conscience her agent persuades her (and her mother) that it’s for the best, since the programme makers are getting a level of De Niro-esque canine acting that has never been seen before.
However, when a series of unexpected circumstances leaves Bolt stranded in New York City, he is forced to face up to the truth as well as the big wide world. Determined to return west to Penny, he joins up with cynical feline Mittens, and a somewhat deranged hamster called Rhino, who is obsessed with Bolt’s TV series.
This is essentially The Incredible Journey with a post-modern hi-tech twist. But directors Byron Howard and Chris Williams pack the film with fun chases, big laughs (especially from Rhino who steals every scene he is in, and a kryptonite type gag involving styrofoam), and a few poignant moments. It’s as predictable as its worthy but familiar messages about friendship and believing in oneself, but still manages to give the audience what it wants in ways it doesn’t always expect.
The animation is almost as detailed and convincing as a Pixar film, though not as visually unique or stylish. Vocal talents from the likes of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus and Malcolm McDowell are put to good use, and though this isn’t destined for classic status, it’s a fun romp for all the family that will fill the gap nicely until Pixar’s next offering Up, due later this year.
Simon Dillon, February 2009.
