Bolt DVD Review

By Kam Williams    

Animated Adventure Fun for Whole Family Arrives on DVD

Bolt (John Travolta) is a normal dog who mistakenly thinks that he actually possesses the superpowers he displays as the hero of a TV action series. The cuddly German shepherd is clueless about the truth because, since he's been raised on a set specially-rigged to trick him into believing that he really has the ability to perform amazing feats like subduing bad guys with his devastating bark and melting steel with his penetrating heat vision.

These delusions of grandeur have never been a problem for the pampered pooch, given that he's had no contact with the outside world. Consequently, the only reality he's ever known is the insulated studio environment in which he's the pet of Penny (Miley Cyrus), the actress who pretends to be his crime-fighting partner.

Everything changes the day Bolt slips out of his cage and, after a comedy of errors, ends up in a box being shipped to New York City where a rude awakening lays in wait. For not only are the streets of Manhattan mean enough to begin with, but they prove to be tougher still for a dog who expects to have an array of extraordinary powers at his paw tips.
Thus unfolds Bolt, an enchanting animated adventure that's fun for the whole family. This uplifting tale has a bounty of heartwarming messages to share about honesty, loyalty, humility, faith and other virtues. The tykes will learn an early lesson about what matters most in life while watching frustrated Bolt adjust to his diminished status as a mere mortal.

He must grudgingly befriend a lowly alley cat (Susie Essman) and clumsy hot-house hamster (Mark Walton), enlisting their help to find his way back to Hollywood. En route, the unlikely trio bond while overcoming the host of ever-escalating calamities placed in the path between the homesick hound and a teary reunion with the equally-inconsolable Penny.
An instant kiddie classic!

Excellent (4 stars)
Rated PG for mild action and scenes of peril.
Running time: 97 minutes
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
3-Disc DVD Extras: Super Rhino short, "Behind-the-Scenes" featurette, music video, deleted scenes, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital copies of the film, and more.

To see a trailer for Bolt,

Kam Williams is a syndicated film and book critic who writes for 100+ publications. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Online, the African-American Film Critics Association, and the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee. Contact him through NewsBlaze.