Don't Bolt for the Exit

Disney's 47th animated feature came out last week and I had the opportunity to take my little brother to see it while on Thanksgiving break. If this has been one of Disney's few previous movies, such as Meet the Robinsons or Chicken Little I would have probably done whatever it took to convince my brother he did not want to go. But the previews actually caught my attention and I did not mind watching my first Disney animated movie since Lilo and Stitch in 2002. The past few years it seemed as though Disney was trying to ride the coattails of Pixar. Going for movies with big ideas, but having little to show for it. With the latest release, Bolt, it seems as though Disney did a good job in recapturing a little bit of that old magic. It had funny characters, an interesting story and solid animation. But it the end, Bolt, was simple and cute. Which is what Disney does best.
The story follows that adventures of a German Shepard named Bolt (John Travolta). He is a major television star that is tricked into believing that his powers on t.v. are actually real. He is confined to a trailer when not shooting and is protected from ever seeing the cameras. After he becomes separated from his owner and fellow co-star Penny (Miley Cyrus), he embarks on a cross-country journey with and street cat named Mittens and a hilarious hamster , Rhino, who spends most of his time in a plastic ball and is t.v. obsessed. Imagine a animated version of Jim Carrey's Truman Show and you have something like Bolt. The film examines how friendship forms through trials and shows that perseverance pays off.
This film is funny but it does not try to overpower you with comedy. I thought of it as more of an action-adventure film for kids. Although, adults might not find it exceptionally deep or captivating like Wall-E or Cars, older viewers will find it enjoyable. Not being a huge Disney or cartoon fan myself these days, Bolt did remind me of some of the classic Disney movies I enjoyed when I was younger such as The Lion King or Aladdin. Even though, Bolt is nowhere near the quality of those movies, it shows Disney is heading in the right direction.