Sierra Mountain Times

Bark, bite… Bolt

Bolt, Mittens and Rhino in Walt Disney Pictures’ Bolt.

Bolt (Rated PG) 96 mins

Call it The Truman Show for dogs, only this Truman does not find out his world is fake until after he escapes his movie-set world. Change the name Truman to Bolt, and sub in talking animals for humans, and you have the main idea behind Disney’s latest animated feature: Bolt.

However, noticeable similarities notwithstanding, do not let the setup fool you, for Bolt is a wholly original tale. Like his human counterpart Truman (who was brilliantly portrayed by Jim Carrey in the 1998 film), Bolt is brought into the world of show business as a young pup, and the set is all he knows. Unlike Truman, Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is an action star whose only mission in life is to protect his owner, Penny. Whereas the wonder of Truman was in watching a “regular-Joe” live his life completely unaware of the cameras around him, Bolt is immersed in a comic book sort of existence, complete with super-villain and superpowers. For Bolt, the illusion is complete, and his ability to launch a “super-bark” capable of destroying a hundred tanks at once is as real to him as his love for Penny, the girl who has taken care of him his entire life. It is Bolt’s belief in this pseudo-world, which makes him a convincing role-player, and is the secret to the show’s success. For Bolt, life is a never-ending adventure, and life is good. Of course, when time comes to shake things up in the show (the Hollywood norm when ratings grow stagnant), Bolt is shaken up as well, and his belief in the mission leads him into circumstances that ultimately take him to the one threat he has yet to overcome; the real world.

The beauty of Bolt is in its characterization of the Hollywood industry. Here we have it all: the perfectionist director who is horrified at the thought of his vision falling apart; the network producers who care more about ratings than general quality; the soulless agent who constantly feigns empathy while not-so-secretly pushing his child actor toward whatever produces more revenue; the star whose immersion into his role has given him a sort of “god-complex”; and observations of the deeply embedded marks covering an entertainment-run culture. From pigeons in New York who know Bolt from somewhere but “just can’t place it” to the hamster Rhino whom spends all day watching television and idolizes Bolt for the heroic ventures Rhino truly believes were real, the film captures the effect stars have on us from the most casual observer to the most ardent fan and it has some fun with it all. This clever approach ensures that Bolt will leave parents grinning while their children giggle at the antics of the animals onscreen.

Of those animals there are two which join Bolt on his real-life adventure: Mittens the alley-cat and Rhino the ball-loving hamster. It is the sassy Mittens (voiced brilliantly by Curb Your Enthusiam’s Susie Essman) who plays the perfect devil’s advocate to the idealistic Bolt, and the adoring Rhino whose unshakeable loyalty gives Bolt strength when the truth about his superhero status becomes apparent. The three of them form an unlikely alliance, which proves to be both endearing and entertaining throughout the film.

It is a no-brainer that the kids will love this film. The talking animals will provide them with plenty of laughs while the action will leave them wide-eyed in amazement. Bolt is sure to make good use of today’s improving computer-animation technology, and its gorgeous environments and amazing attention to detail make the screen hard to turn from for any viewer. Along with the amazing visuals and endearing characters is an underlying humor, which adults will appreciate, making Bolt a great outing for the entire family. With Thanksgiving here, Bolt proves to be just the thing to get families into the theaters without disappointing. It is good clean fun, and it is just in time for the holidays.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all my loyal readers out there. Thank you for your trust reviewing these movies, and I hope to continue to hear your opinions about what I write and how I can improve. Happy Thanksgiving!

SCORE 3.5/5