Bolt
Year: 2008
Director: Byron Howard & Chris Williams
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, John Travolta & Mark Walton
Runtime: 96 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 25/10/21
Director: Byron Howard & Chris Williams
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, John Travolta & Mark Walton
Runtime: 96 mins
BBFC: PG
Published: 25/10/21
With the acquisition of Pixar in 2006, Disney Animation underwent a massive overhaul and restructuring with John Lasseter becoming head of the studio and the first film to really feel the effects of his involvement was Bolt. This then causes some debate over whether Bolt should be a Post-Renaissance or a Revival Era film as this film is responsible for Disney's move into higher quality films around the turn of the decade. For me personally I consider Bolt a Post-Renaissance film for two reasons, firstly and most importantly it still retains that feel of a Post-Renaissance film with its more experimental and slightly unfocused feel, but secondly for its underwhelming box office and critical performance. That's not to say Bolt is a bad film, but similar to Oliver and Company, it's the first sign of the studio getting their act together before really hitting their stride once more.
Bolt (John Travolta) is a one-of-a-kind dog with superpowers gained from genetic experimentation. With these powers he and his owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) do battle against the nefarious Green-Eyed Man (Malcolm McDowell) to stop his plans for world domination…or at least that’s what Bolt believes. In reality, Bolt is a star in a TV show and knows nothing about the real world; but when he escapes his Hollywood studio home, Bolt must partner with an alley cat, Mittens (Susie Essman), and his biggest fan, a hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton), to find his way back home to Penny.
Bolt (John Travolta) is a one-of-a-kind dog with superpowers gained from genetic experimentation. With these powers he and his owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) do battle against the nefarious Green-Eyed Man (Malcolm McDowell) to stop his plans for world domination…or at least that’s what Bolt believes. In reality, Bolt is a star in a TV show and knows nothing about the real world; but when he escapes his Hollywood studio home, Bolt must partner with an alley cat, Mittens (Susie Essman), and his biggest fan, a hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton), to find his way back home to Penny.
Bolt manages to succeed in its execution by blending the more experimental style of the Post-Renaissance Era films with the tried and tested tropes of the Renaissance Era and prior. The result is a film that feels refreshingly new, but also warmly familiar. It’s distinctly Disney in its tone, characters, and events; but progresses the studio’s 3D computer generated animation techniques significantly further than any previous attempt and is the first Disney film since the nineties to feel modern for the time it released.
Despite this winning formula, the box office didn’t light on fire with Bolt’s arrival and the film was a financial disappointment. But it did mark a step in the right direction for Disney moving forward.
Bolt’s lack of understanding of the real world is both endearing and infuriating during the early stages of the film. It’s an awful lot to suspend your disbelief that this dog wouldn’t be aware that he’s not actually superpowered, but it does lead to some very funny moments and his journey throughout the film is enjoyable.
Bolt’s companions are less well written though, with Mittens being the stereotypical street animal that doesn’t like people because of a traumatic past, and Rhino just being kind of annoying. Human characters like Penny get side-lined very early on and don’t have much of a role to play in the film, which is a shame as I feel like there could have been some good opportunities to take her character in particular to interesting places. Potentially having her search for Bolt and be put in genuine danger because of it, something that Bolt must then rise up to. The climax of the film does go for that kind of angle, but it’s all an accident that leads to that scenario rather than some kind of real-world villain that Bolt must confront.
Despite this winning formula, the box office didn’t light on fire with Bolt’s arrival and the film was a financial disappointment. But it did mark a step in the right direction for Disney moving forward.
Bolt’s lack of understanding of the real world is both endearing and infuriating during the early stages of the film. It’s an awful lot to suspend your disbelief that this dog wouldn’t be aware that he’s not actually superpowered, but it does lead to some very funny moments and his journey throughout the film is enjoyable.
Bolt’s companions are less well written though, with Mittens being the stereotypical street animal that doesn’t like people because of a traumatic past, and Rhino just being kind of annoying. Human characters like Penny get side-lined very early on and don’t have much of a role to play in the film, which is a shame as I feel like there could have been some good opportunities to take her character in particular to interesting places. Potentially having her search for Bolt and be put in genuine danger because of it, something that Bolt must then rise up to. The climax of the film does go for that kind of angle, but it’s all an accident that leads to that scenario rather than some kind of real-world villain that Bolt must confront.
Bolt also improves the 3D computer animation over Disney’s past efforts, particularly in shot framing and smoothness of movement. Whilst human characters can still look a little bit plastic and shiny, the animals all look pretty good for the time this film released. Environments though are much busier with more moving parts populating any one space, and objects react more realistically to the environment. I’d say it looks on par with Pixar’s 2004 film, The Incredibles, so whilst it is somewhat behind in a number of areas, it is a significant improvement over what came before.
Bolt is a step in the right direction for Disney Animation. This recovery would continue into the Revival Era proper, but as a result Bolt is one of the more forgotten Classics. However it successfully managed to blend old Disney tropes with the new experimental type of Disney film. If you’ve not seen Bolt before, I do recommend you check it out as it’s good fun for all the family.
Bolt is a step in the right direction for Disney Animation. This recovery would continue into the Revival Era proper, but as a result Bolt is one of the more forgotten Classics. However it successfully managed to blend old Disney tropes with the new experimental type of Disney film. If you’ve not seen Bolt before, I do recommend you check it out as it’s good fun for all the family.