Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Bolt (2008)

Director: Byron Howard, Chris Williams

Time Out rating

Average user rating

90 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Disney’s first 3D animation, made under new head John Lasseter, is a likeable, dynamic and seductively characterised family entertainment. Directed by newcomers Byron Howard and Chris Williams, it’s a romantic tale of the sentimental education of the titular dog, which is graphically inspired by the larger American shepherd and modestly voiced by John Travolta. In ‘Truman Show’ fashion, Bolt is the deluded super-hero star of a hit live-action children’s television show, replete with a snazzy lightning logo emblazoned on his flank. As Bolt is separated by accident from ‘his person’, the equally innocent child-star Penny (Miley Cyrus), and joined by an alley-cat (a sassy, touching Susie Essman) and couch-potato Hamster (a cherishable star-turn by animator Mark Walton), he learns to be ‘a real dog’.

One of the pleasures of ‘Bolt’ is how, without taking itself too seriously, it combines adventure with ideas and how the thoughtful, sympathetic script has fun with the reality/fantasy divide in a way that makes perfect sense to small kids, while still providing engagement and amusement for older siblings and adults in tow. Visually, it’s clever and stimulating: there are some excellent eye-level 3D effects, a nice pastiche of ‘bullet-time’ (part of a running theme throughout the film ‘discussing’ the relationship of live-action to CGI) and – elatingly – a pair of beautiful ‘helicopter’ shots. Borrowing a practice from Pixar, the main feature is prefaced by a short film, one of car-dealer’s son Lasseter’s own CGI spin-offs from ‘Cars’, the lovely, Japanese-accented ‘Tokyo Mater’, which charmingly combines petrol-head nostalgia with ‘Speed Racer’-esque kineticism.

Author: Wally Hammond

Time Out London Issue 2007, 5 - 11 Feb, 2009

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Katherine said...

Posted on Sep 06 2011 11:22 Love it, it couldn't be better I'll reconmend it to everyone!

Report as inappropriate
olivia whos 12 now said...

Posted on Apr 27 2009 19:48 sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fantastic i want to see it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Report as inappropriate
mazza said...

Posted on Apr 11 2009 12:21 I thought the film was fab.By the way whats wrong with Miley.

Report as inappropriate
pp said...

Posted on Mar 31 2009 07:50 i am going to see the on Sunday I HOPE IT ISN'T BORIN

Report as inappropriate
JIM said...

Posted on Mar 30 2009 10:36 I have seen this 5 times so far. Bolt is so lovable epecially with his head tilted and ears down. Rhino the hamster is a hoot lol,epecially when he talks as all the human can hear in the film is him sqeekin lol. Then come the Pigeons they are so on the mark and really funny, so well done, the manerisms are spot on. It has a VERY FEEL GOOD feeling.

Report as inappropriate
The Truth said...

Posted on Mar 24 2009 13:28 Rich, do you think your youth club would approve of you rating films before seeing them? No, i didn't think so?
Perhaps you'd like to rate the back of my hand before you are struck with it?!

Report as inappropriate
miley hater said...

Posted on Mar 21 2009 21:59 absolute rubbish... bring back cinderella not this garbage

Report as inappropriate
Paula said...

Posted on Mar 09 2009 17:28 I have seen this film not in 3D but is the 3D version any good?

Report as inappropriate
caitlin said...

Posted on Mar 02 2009 16:55 wot r the 3D effects like?

Report as inappropriate
Cabury CoCo Bean said...

Posted on Mar 01 2009 10:50 I cried like a baby from start to finish even at the sad bits I was crying tears of joy!!!
So... if your a women that likes sensitive guys call me!
If your a woman the likes tuff guys then... GET STUFFED!!!
love you all! (yes, even the men!)

Report as inappropriate
StuckMelon said...

Posted on Feb 28 2009 17:27 This film is pretty good. Not quite as captivating as toy story 1 or shrek 1. but up there in the top 5. The Hamster (part wolverine lol!) is genius. it's not just him though, there are so many catchphrases in there i don't know where to start. My kids and me say them all the time. agree with some other poster that the film can get a bit boring; the dog is not a strong enough lead character, and the cat can be irritating at times, but theres so much morre to the film that you can overlook these things.
I say watch it, if you're a kid at heart you'll love it.

Report as inappropriate
sophie said...

Posted on Feb 28 2009 15:37 it is good

Report as inappropriate
gill said...

Posted on Feb 27 2009 23:03 thank goodness for the hamster otherwise it would have been sooo boring

Report as inappropriate
emily said...

Posted on Feb 27 2009 16:31 i cant wait to go and seee the film with my boyfriend and im only 10!!!!!!!!!

Report as inappropriate
Rich said...

Posted on Feb 25 2009 19:04 I'm probably going to see the film tomorrow but that depends if youth club is cancelled, If not i may see it Friday but don't know cos Fridays I like to hang out in town. Anyway, I'd definitely like to see the film at some point.

Report as inappropriate