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Bookmark this pageBolt (2008)
Director: Byron Howard, Chris Williams
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
User reviews of this film
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- Adam said...
- Posted on Feb 18 2009 11:25 EXCELLENT FILM ME AND MY LITTLE SISTER LOVED IT!!! GREAT ANIMATION AND THE STORY LINE WAS BRILLIANT LOL!!!! MUST SEE FILM GREAT FOR ALL THE FAMILY!!!
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- the m said...
- Posted on Feb 18 2009 09:28 the most borring film in the century it is so borring dont wast oure money
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- rachel said...
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Posted on Feb 17 2009 23:42
i ment loved it not lobed it hahahah.
go see it for real its fab! - Report as inappropriate
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- rachel said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 23:39 i went to see it today and it was amazingggggg, im not a child and i lobed it. i advise any person of any age to go and see it. egnore all the bad comments, its brilliant. get up and go see it now : ] its well goooooood.
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- critique said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 23:32 Excellent 3D animation which should appeal to both kids and grown-ups.
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- Donna said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 20:46 A very enjoyable family film with excellent 3D effects
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- Chicken aged 8 said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 20:41 A great film to watch for people who like animals and adventure stories. It was excellent
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- cutie said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 20:25 probly going to see it tommorow
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- Liv n em said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 15:17 want to watch bolt but one of our friends un sure about watching bolt saying its childish want do you think???
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- louis said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 15:11 An AMAZING TALE OF 3 FRIENDS BOLT, MITTENS,RHINO WHO GO ON A SPEACHLESS ADVENTURE TO FIND BOLTS BELOVED PENNY WORTH SEEING IT IN 3D
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- shirl said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 12:32 does anyone realise that a review is to give an opinion of what the film was like NOT to tell everyone that they're going to go & see it maybe tomorrow or whatever, who cares? we would like an honest review of the film. THAT would be useful!
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- lollypop said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 11:42 HIYA!!!!!!! goin 2 c diz film in a bit wid ma m8s, shan and louis and ma lil bro jake, i iz wel lukin forward 2 it nd i cant wait ( HOPE THEIRS LOADZ OV FIT LADZ THEIR AZWEL!!!!!) all ma luvz, lauren A.K.A lollypop xxxxx
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- Kaylz xxxx said...
- Posted on Feb 17 2009 10:38 Bolt is actual amazin ! 3D i welll better though ! byee xx
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- Kam said...
- Posted on Feb 16 2009 23:31 Er... do I have to see the film or just plan to see it in order to post a comment?
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- rachel said...
- Posted on Feb 16 2009 22:22 going to see it tomorrow right but i read on a comment on page 3 & it said 'i dont see why a dog is pretending to be a superhero? please get real! it's rubbish don't waste ur money ppl!' but am not been funny its a kids film what do you expect. Soo egnore that comment people . am going to see it and i reck it'll be a legend :]
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Cast & crew
Director: Byron Howard, Chris Williams
Rated: PG
Duration: 103 mins
UK Release: Feb 6 2009
US Release: Nov 21 2008
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