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Putting on the Dog

"Bolt" is the first Disney Animation release under its new head, Pixar's John Lasseter. With the Pixar pedigree (but not the studio), "Bolt" has a lot to prove for Disney. Incorporating Disney Digital 3D technology, the film looks to push the envelope of what can be artistically achieved with animation. But can it match the Pixar reputation for quality story lines and — dare we say — heart?

We first meet Bolt, an adorable and feisty white german shepherd puppy, as he is adopted by a young girl. Five years later, Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is living with the girl — named Penny (Miley Cyrus) — and her scientist father, who has endowed Bolt with amazing super powers. Together, Penny and Bolt are a crime-fighting super team, facing the evil Dr. Calico (gleefully voiced by Malcolm McDowell). Bent on world domination, Calico is equipped with the proper villainous accoutrements: goons, pointy beard, evil laugh and cats (hey, it worked for Blofeld and Dr. Evil). In a thrilling opening chase scene to rival any James Bond flick, Penny and Bolt race through the streets of San Francisco to rescue Penny's kidnapped father — with Calico's army in hot pursuit.

As the scene comes to a stunning climax, we find that Penny and Bolt are not in San Francisco, but on an elaborate Hollywood set. Only Bolt is unaware that they are actually filming a hit television show. And Penny is not his owner, but his co-star. In a contrivance straight out of "The Truman Show", the cast and crew have taken great pains to make Bolt believe that he not only has super powers, but that his beloved Penny is in real peril. If he doesn't believe, explains the director, neither will the audience. (It's a ridiculous plot point, but without it there's no movie, so...) To preserve the fantasy, Bolt lives on set in his own trailer. Though he doesn't belong to her, leaving him at the end of the day is enough to break Penny's heart. She begs and pleads to bring him home, but her oily agent (Greg Germann) ushers her away. Bolt, believing that Penny is being kidnapped, runs after her. Before he can reach her, he is takes a wrong turn and is accidentally boxed up in a shipping crate bound for the East Coast.

Bolt finds himself in a strange land — New York City — alone and powerless (a loss, he assumes, is due to the Kryptonite-like effects of the packing styrofoam). Still convinced Dr. Calico has Penny in his clutches, he enlists the help of a trio of (literally) bird-brained pigeons. They point him to someone who might know a thing or two about evil — their nemesis, a scrawny, tough-talking alley cat named Mittens (Susie Essman). Following the logic that all cats are evil (and therefore all cats must work for Dr. Calico), Bolt kidnaps Mittens and forces her to take him to Penny. Mittens quickly figures out Bolt's true identity, but as she can't escape, she has no choice but to lead him on a cross-country trek back to Hollywood.

The journey, as one would expect, is a bumpy one. Still believing in his powers, Bolt leads them fearlessly from one speeding conveyance to another, but is confused by his bruises and rumbling tummy — things he has never experienced before. It falls to Mittens to convince Bolt (a la "Toy Story") of his very ordinary dog-like powers. One of which — begging — comes in handy at a midwestern RV park. There, Bolt and Mittens meet Rhino (Mark Walton), a chunky hamster in a rolling plastic ball. Rhino, it seems, is a huge fan of Bolt. Gushing like an obsessive fanboy, he begs to join them on their mission to rescue Penny. Thus, the three continue on their "Homeward Bound"-like journey, hitching rides where they can while evading the clutches of animal control. Meanwhile, Penny is heartbroken over Bolt's disappearance. Her agent lines up a trained dog to take Bolt's place, but he's a poor replacement for her dear pup. Will she ever see him again?

Though "Bolt" borrows heavily — sometimes shamelessly — from other films (among those previously mentioned, it also pulls from "Toy Story II", "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo"), it is a surprisingly clever and sweet story about true heroism and friendship. Helping to carry the story is some top-notch voice work. As with the Pixar productions, Lasseter cleverly chooses actors that are right for the role, not based on their celebrity status. Travolta's warm, slightly cracking voice is a perfect match for Bolt, while Cyrus has a depth and subtlety as Penny that she never gets to attempt on "Hannah Montana". Essman (best known to adults as Jeff Garlin's foul-mouthed wife on "Curb Your Enthusiasm") gives Mittens the sparkle and fast-talking sass of a Rosalind Russell, while Germann oozes obsequious smarm as Penny's agent. But the biggest surprise is voice actor Mark Walton, nearly stealing the show as the plucky hamster, Rhino.

The animation quality of "Bolt", as should be expected, is top notch. The use of 3D is so appropriate and seamless that, except for a few old-timey "pokes" at the audience, one tends to take the 3D entirely for granted. That's a shame, in a way, because the artistry is so exquisite. From Bolt's fluffy, almost touchable fur, to the rolling movements and distorted reflections on Rhino's ball and the breathtaking opening chase sequence, it's clear that 3D isn't just a fad, but (when done right) the next level in animated storytelling. The one, glaring caveat is there are some sequences that are perhaps too vivid, too harrowing for young children. As those of us traumatized by "Bambi" can attest, watching fluffy, cuddly characters put into "real" peril might prove disturbing.  

Based around a Hollywood TV show, there are dozens of "insider" gags, from the machinations of Penny's agent to a trio of screenwriting pigeons in the Hollywood hills. Like "Ratatouille" — which seemed too sophisticated to appeal to young children — one wonders if the jokes in "Bolt" will likewise go over their wee heads. But at its heart, it's the relationship between Bolt and Penny — the reunion of a dog and his "person" — that will most likely keep the kiddies glued to their seats.