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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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- Bobarus said...
- Posted on Feb 13 2009 12:53 Bolt 3D is fantastic, I would highly recommend it to people of all ages. The characters are brilliant and I laughed from start to finish. Different from other disney movies but the best movie I have watched in ages. And even better in 3D!!
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- tina said...
- Posted on Feb 13 2009 11:53 looks gud hope its brill im a lover of cartoons theres a kid in every 1 lol
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- carole said...
- Posted on Feb 13 2009 09:19 Brilliant film,best disney film in a long time.Great animation and a good story line.Highly Recommended!
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- jenny said...
- Posted on Feb 12 2009 23:05 Im taking my granddaughter to see this film it looks so good for family viewing. lets hope im right!!!
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- Lorie G said...
- Posted on Feb 12 2009 19:07 i think this film will be great
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- LORIE G said...
- Posted on Feb 12 2009 19:02 GOING 2 C THIS FILM 2MOR CANT WAIT X
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- sophie said...
- Posted on Feb 12 2009 16:40 just to let u all know whos going to watch it it is great dont say i hope its great cuz it is trust me
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- mary said...
- Posted on Feb 12 2009 11:44 going to see this film today looks great and hoefully it will be great !!!!!!
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- hickle pickle said...
- Posted on Feb 11 2009 21:16 i really wanna see this movie it looks good!:)
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- sophie said...
- Posted on Feb 11 2009 17:57 i dont wait till this fillms out on dvd cuz i will watch it every day and i mean everyday this film is superb xx
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- toocoolforschool said...
- Posted on Feb 11 2009 17:41 This film was outstanding , simply superb!!!!!!!!!!
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- justin said...
- Posted on Feb 11 2009 11:02 this film should be great and i would not half want to go and see this hillerious films this weekend
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- sophie said...
- Posted on Feb 10 2009 20:40 everyone u should all see it it is mint it was the goodist film iv ever saw i think xxxx
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- kirsty said...
- Posted on Feb 10 2009 18:01 Oh my god get a grip to everyone who is writing bad reviews for this film" ITS A KIDS FILM" kids are happy with bright coulours a bit of action and laughs, im taking my 6 yr old to see it tonight and im sure he will love it and so will i and even if i dont i dont care as long as my 6 yr old has a great night thats all i care about!!!! xx
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- cheerbabe said...
- Posted on Feb 10 2009 15:07 Haven't seen this yet i will half to go wid my peps in da half term holiday
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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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