Bolt: Ein Hund für alle Fälle

I have been anticipating the release of Bolt for several months. I had an opportunity to see a screening of it and it exceeded all my expectations. Bolt is a wonderful movie with a good story and heart, something that Pixar has done well but Disney has struggled with. I believe the addition of John Lasseter to Disney Animation has made a significant impact on the quality and continuity of this film. Yes, it is CGI. You may ask, "Why is Disney doing CGI when Pixar already does?" All the studios are doing CGI right now. I have been very impressed with Pixar's CGI detail, however the detail in Bolt is even better. Creating a dog with fur that gets dirty, wet, wind-blown and looks real is very impressive (at least it is to me). In addition to better detail, the color and light of this film is so true to life, you'll think it's the real thing.

I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat. Disney has created some lovable characters who will definitely win the hearts of millions. Congrats to the entire Disney Animation studio, well done.

Its an animated movie about a dog. GIVEN, its a 'kids' movie. Unlike many animated movies, the dialog isn't full of innuendos or 'hidden' humor that only adults would 'get'. Its easily understood by kids, the animation is top-rate (as would be expected) and the characters are engaging and easy to enjoy. I admit that even though I love animation, I went to this sneak preview with a few misgivings. The trailers didn't look all that exciting, and I didn't expect to see anything I hadn't already seen. On one hand, I was right. The animation WAS very good, but nothing that hadn't been done before. But on the other hand I was pleasantly wrong. The formula works perfectly for Bolt. It was fun, didn't have any 'dull' spots, and while my theater was filled with a fairly consistent mix of children and young teens, and a relative smattering of adults, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Laughter was pretty consistent among the old and young, and at the end of the flick I heard something I rarely get to experience in theaters these days: applause. Granted, the adults were the ones applauding, and I joined in enthusiastically. The wife and I agree that this was one movie where we felt we got more than our dollars' worth. Thats a rare treat. Bolt did not disappoint on any level -and will find a spot in our library when the DVD eventually hits market. I fully expect this movie to do very well.

Bolt follows a canine actor known for playing a super hero on a TV show, he is supported from his owner and must find his way back to her, all while believing he truly has super powers.

Bolt is loads of fun! There are lots of creative action scenes, plenty of funny jokes, and even some emotional scenes. Bolt has the makings of a Disney classic, but it does come up a little short of the usual Disney magic.

Firstly, the story lacks depth, the story basically tells itself in the first 30 minutes, then fuels the rest with action, comedy and drama. Secondly Miley Cyrus proved to be an annoying choice for voicing one of the main characters, not only is she an ear-sore, but she struggles to express different emotions vocally, her voice feels fake and just detracts from the overall film.

Luckily there's still plenty good in Bolt, it's definitely a great choice for a family friendly action comedy!

Bolt is a fun movie! It's not harmful or offensive and it's got some heart and genius emotion. Lighten up!

Story-wise, there's nothing remarkably new about "Bolt," Walt Disney Animation's latest feature to hit the screens, but considering its patchy recent filmography, it's certainly a step to the right direction for the animation studio, now headed by Pixar-meister John Lasseter. While it's far below the sophisticated narratives and well-drawn characters of Pixar classics such as "Toy Story," "The Incredibles" and this year's "Wall-E," "Bolt" nevertheless charms its way to the screen with its eager-to-please lead character and diverting visuals.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is the canine star of a TV show where he plays a superdog whose lifelong mission is to protect his "person", Penny (Miley Cyrus), from the evil forces around them. Problem is, as the creators of the show fervently believe that the show's success lies mainly in its realism, they have gone to great lengths to lead Bolt into believing everything is real and everything seems to be going well.

That is until a studio mishap has Bolt improbably shipped across the country from Hollywood to New York. With the help of Mittens (Susie Essman), an alley cat who strangely knows more about dog ways than Bolt himself, and Bolt-fanatic hamster Rhino (Mark Walton), he goes on a long cross-country tripping to find his way back to Penny.

Byron Howard and Chris Williams direct a calculated script by Williams and Dan Fogelman where nothing is terribly special, especially if you're not a dog-loving tween girl (I do love dogs, though), though it has enough sensitivity (that's Lasseter working) up its sleeve for some unashamedly touching moments. And with its cheery visuals, lively characters and a breezy pace, it also has enough going for the adults as well as the kids. It's safe harmless stuff.