Family Entertainment
DVD/Blu-ray Corner: Bolt
By Talynn A. Soghomonians |
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 It’s a Bird! It’s a plane! It’s Bolt—the Super Dog! To save his human friend Penny (Miley Cyrus) from the evil Dr. Calico (Malcolm McDowell), Bolt (John Travolta) the four-legged hero is more than ready and willing to use his superhero powers to outrun speeding missiles, burn through solid metal with his heat vision and obliterate large structures with his super bark in Disney’s animated comedy adventure Bolt.
But before the determined doggy saves the day, there's one flea-sized problem he does not realize. Bolt is not a super dog at all, but merely an animal actor on a hit television show, and he has frantically broken out of his Hollywood trailer to save young Penny from danger only to end up accidentally shipped across the country.
Confused and unable to use his super powers in the real world, Bolt is convinced that he must quickly find his way back to Penny before it’s too late. In an effort to locate the villainous Dr. Calico, Bolt captures and interrogates Mittens the alley cat (Susie Essman) and befriends his No. 1 fan, Rhino the hamster (Mark Walton).
Stamped with the Disney trademark, Bolt’s journey leads to self-discovery and the capacity to love and protect the people (or animals) near and dear to his heart.
 In a road trip full of life lessons and surprises, this adventure is perfect for all ages. Bolt appeals to children with its quirky fun-loving characters and to adults with its clichéd spin on the hustle and bustle of city life.
Throughout the adventure, Bolt encounters several talking pigeons that are cleverly and humorously stereotyped: East Coast pigeons Bobby (Tim Mertens), Joey (Todd Cummings) and Vinnie (Lino DiSalvo) have a mafia-esque presence with their Italian swagger and New York accents while Billy (Dan Fogelman), Blake (Nick Swardson) and Tom (J.P. Manoux) use West Coast slang and aspire to be screenwriters.
In his plastic spinning ball, Rhino the hamster is the hyper highlight of this animated movie. As Bolt’s obsessive fan, Rhino is certain that Bolt the Super Dog is capable of saving the world and that it is his duty to be his dependable sidekick. With his frenzied plans to attack Dr. Calico’s soldiers, Rhino is extremely funny and amusing. Yet, it is Rhino’s sincere loyalty to his new furry friend that is his most admirable quality.
“If Bolt taught me anything, it’s that you never abandon a friend in a time of need. When your teammate’s in trouble, you go. Whether they ask or not, you go. Not knowing if you’re coming back dead or alive, you go,” Rhino confidently explains to Mittens.
 With Bolt and Rhino’s delusional outlook on reality, it is Mittens’ street-smart persona and quick comebacks that become the much-needed voice of reason. Her heartbreaking past as an abandoned house pet leads Mittens to fend for herself as she spends the majority of her days sitting on top of a trash can and threatening pigeons for scraps of food. But Mittens is more than a bully, she is a survivor of the streets, and together, Bolt, Rhino and Mittens are a triple-threat team.
Above all, Bolt is a tale of true friendship and loyalty. While Penny is a famous television personality, her genuine sadness for her missing pup makes her a lovable character. Her unwillingness to replace her lost dog proves to be a friendship between human and animal that children and pet-lovers will both relate to and enjoy.
While Bolt’s script is undeniably witty and contemporary, the voices of America’s bubbly sweetheart Cyrus and Hollywood legend Travolta only add to the perfection. Yet again, Disney scores celebrity A-listers to lend their voices, and no celebrity duo would have been better than Cyrus and Travolta to appeal to the audience demographic composed of both kids and parents alike.
 Even more fetching than the smart script and entertaining pop-culture innuendo is Bolt’s clear animation quality—but this is not the least bit surprising, as Disney has paved the way for the computer animation era.
Both the Bolt 2-disc Deluxe Edition DVD (Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, MSRP: $32.99) and the 3-disc Blu-ray Hi-Def release (MSRP: $39.99) provide plenty of bonus features, including interviews with directors Byron Howard and Chris Williams (“A New Breed of Directors: A Filmmakers’ Journey”) and a music video for “I Thought I Lost You” performed by Cyrus and Travolta. The song’s upbeat melody and catchy chorus fit well with the friendship-conquers-all motto of the movie, but unfortunately it doesn’t last too long, as the track is less than two-and-a-half minutes long.
The 2-disc DVD and 3-disc Blu-ray release also come with an exclusive short film, “Super Rhino,” which allows the adorable rodent to live out his dream of being a famous hamster hero fully equipped with his own Bolt-like super powers. In an ending fit for a rock star, Rhino takes to the stage, microphone in hand, and crowd surfs his way to victory. This bonus short is also the only bonus feature available on the single-disc Bolt DVD (MSRP: $29.99).
 Other bonus features on the Bolt Blu-ray and Deluxe Edition DVD releases include deleted scenes with optional introductions by directors Chris Williams and Byron Howard; a behind-the-scenes look at recording Bolt’s signature song (“In Session with John Travolta and Miley Cyrus”); two additional Backstage Disney featurettes—”Creating the World of Bolt,” which lets the filmmakers explain how they fashioned the unique look of the movie and “Act, Speak! The Voices of Bolt,” which allows viewers to join Bolt’s A-list cast in session—and a DisneyFile Digital Copy that allows movie-lovers to watch the film on the go. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are two additional features—an interactive game called Bolt’s Be-Awesome Mission and a Bolt art gallery that allows animation enthusiasts to take a peek at the movie’s early creative concepts—as well as a standard definition DVD of the film.
Like Disney’s Pixar classics Finding Nemo and Ratatouille, Bolt too is memorable and timeless. Looking through a spotless pet store window, the audience is introduced to baby Bolt as he playfully pounces on his “Mister Carrot” toy—and it is truly love at first sight. His adorable puppy-dog eyes, charm and naive nature make Bolt an instant favorite.
Move over Lassie, there’s a new canine hero in town.
Bolt is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.
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