“Are you mad? You don't know the power of Styrofoam!” -- Bolt
Initial thoughts before viewing: Never saw it, knew almost nothing about it except that it was about a dog.
If you'd like a more comprehensive summary of Bolt, here is a link to the movie's Disney Wiki page where you can read the entire plot summary.
Highlights:
-Puppy Bolt. Need I say more?
Disliked:
-Penny is a sh!t dog owner. While the details of how Penny and Bolt got started on the "Bolt" TV show are never explained, Penny is 100% involved and complicit when it comes to lying to Bolt about having superpowers and making him actually believe that she is is mortal danger every few days. It's some Truman Show-esque crap, and I am not here for it.
Once Bolt disappears, Penny tries looking for him for like a day, then moves on once the TV show basically tells her it's time to start filming again. So if you're keeping score, during the course of the movie Bolt makes his way across the entire COUNTRY trying to find Penny, while she...makes some fliers that she never puts up? Poor Bolt deserves better. AND IS YOUR NAME EVEN PENNY? OR IS THAT JUST FOR THE TV SHOW?!
-Penny's mom is a sh!t parent. Okay, so Penny is only thirteen years old, which leads me to condemn her mom. How did she even get Penny and Bolt involved in this TV-show ruse? What kind of adult signs on to a show w/ such a crazy premise that keeps their family dog locked up in a trailer and in a constant state of emotional torture and anxiety? All the TV people have the power, and Penny and her mom are just pawns. Not to mention that Penny nearly DIES at the end of the movie because she's forgotten about on a burning set. Ooof, talk about bad parenting.
Closing Thoughts:
I don't like this movie, like at all. The beginning drags, the pacing is off, Miley Cyrus voicing Penny is distracting, and the plot is contrived and unoriginal (Bolt is basically Buzz Lightyear from the original Toy Story). There are mean cat stereotypes (boo) and I can't get over Penny being such a crap pet parent. Even a sassy cat side-kick named Mittens can't save this one for me.
The bottom line: Bolt lacks anything fresh or distinctive. It's an insignificant entry to the Disney library.
My Rating: 3/10
