Starring: the voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus,
Animated film Bolt has all the right elements to be the dog’s bollocks.
There’s the cute main character with the celebrity voice, an entertaining sidekick, some eye-popping action scenes and the odd touching moment.
While certainly watchable, this tale about a delusional pooch trying to find his way home is more mutt than best in show, especially when compared to recent animated offerings such as Kung Fu Panda and WALL:E.
One of the biggest problems with Bolt is its uneven pacing.
A meandering storyline and a lack of snappy dialogue cause it to drift along until an inspired introduction saves the day.
After a heart-pounding action sequence in which the super-powered Bolt (Travolta) and his owner Penny (Cyrus) battle some bad guys, the film slows to a crawl as we learn the crafty canine has no idea he’s part of a show and thinks his powers are real.
But from the moment hyperactive hamster Rhino (Mark Walton), appears, the movie has more of a spring in its step.
A scorching climax helps Bolt escape the doghouse.
Good for: Those who prefer their leading men hairy and panting. PIERRE DE VILLIERS
