Hollywood can be such a cruel place. It won't even allow a TV dog to know the difference between fantasy and reality. Disney's "Bolt" tells the story of such a dog, an adorable American White Shepherd (voiced by John Travolta) that stars in a popular sci-fi/action/adventure series. The problem is that the studio people don't want him to know that it's all fake; for the sake of completely believable performances, they shield him from the outside world, and they don't clear the sets until he goes to his trailer. In this sense, "Bolt" is kind of like a computer animated, family friendly version of "The Truman Show," a film founded on a premise that could probably be considered a form of abuse. I say this because forcing a person (or an animal) to believe something that isn't true is just plain wrong. Why should Bolt be allowed to believe that he's really a genetically modified dog with an assortment of superpowers? What possible good could come out of that?

It seems that I'm investing a little too much in this film, emotionally speaking. But truth be told, there is a lot of emotion in it, despite the fact that it's essentially a fun-filled story with lots of colorful characters. It goes back to an observation I made for another 2008 Disney film, "Beverley Hills Chihuahua": Movies about animals are inherently depressing. Animated movies might be worse because animals are made to emote in much the same way a human does, especially when it comes to their eyes. We can actually tell when they're happy, sad, hurt, and frightened. We see a lot of that in "Bolt," which only makes it that much more effective. Of course, we also see a lot of humor, most of which is provided by an assortment of wacky supporting characters.

Bolt's owner is a loving teenage girl named Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus), who's also an actress on the series. One day, the director (voiced by James Lipton) decides to film a cliffhanger episode to appeal to the eighteen to thirty-five age demographic. The final scene features Penny being kidnapped by the evil Dr. Calico (voiced by Malcolm McDowell), who already has her father in his clutches. Since Bolt believes that Penny really was kidnapped, he escapes from the Hollywood soundstage and goes on a rescue mission. He accidentally gets sealed in a Styrofoam-packed box and is shipped to New York City; once there, he meets an alley cat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman) and takes her prisoner, thinking she knows about Penny and Dr. Calico. Faced with a delusional dog that goes to extreme measures (such as holding her over the edge of a freeway overpass), Mittens plays along. Hopefully, she will eventually find an opportunity to escape.

Using a U.S. map from a waffle restaurant, Mittens tells Bolt that Penny is being held captive in Hollywood. On their cross-country journey, they meet Rhino (voiced by Mark Walton), a pudgy, TV-loving hamster that spends most of his time inside a clear plastic ball. Like many side characters in an animated film, Rhino absolutely steals the show; he's an eager thrill seeker, and because he's also one of Bolt's biggest fans, he willingly joins him on his mission to save Penny. Unfortunately, Bolt has yet to realize that he never was genetically altered. For a long time, he believes that pink Styrofoam peanuts drained him of his powers. He also believes that the black bolt on his side is a natural mark. But as is expected, his journey home will be one of discovery, not only in terms of his identity, but also in terms of acceptance and friendship. Mittens, for example, eventually takes pity on Bolt and tries her best to lift his spirits. She shows him what real dogs do, such as sticking their heads out the window of a moving car, fetching a stick, and even drinking out of the toilet. Bolt, in turn, begins to see Mittens in a different light, which is why he's determined to rescue her after being captured by Animal Control officers.

Of the films numerous side characters, none are more fun than the pigeons. Much like with people, the part of the country Bolt is in determines the pigeons' accents; the ones in New York all sound like Mafia hitmen while the ones in Los Angeles sound like surfer dudes. When you couple this with realistic head movements--bobs and turns and whatnot--the result is absolutely hilarious. Another fun character is Penny's agent (voiced by Greg Germann), who isn't an animal in the sense that he doesn't have fur or feathers or a beak. He does, however, have the uncanny ability to say the worst thing at the worst possible time, and he obviously cares more about money than Penny's feelings.

Depending on what theater you go to, "Bolt" can be seen in 3-D. My theater only offered a traditional 2-D format. But to be perfectly honest, I don't think it matters one way or the other; enhanced theater effects don't have much bearing on a film's story, especially if it's good. Regardless of dimension, "Bolt" is terrific family entertainment, fun and meaningful, humorous and heartfelt, with a colorful look that captures all the joy, the excitement, and the tenderness. Some could argue that the final major scene, which I won't describe, comes dangerously close to being heavy handed. But considering the fact that the film is essentially about a dog and his owner, it's probably the most appropriate scene of all. When compared to "Beverley Hills Chihuahua," which is also about lost dogs, there's really no comparison at all--"Bolt" is the one audiences will grow attached to.

- Chris Pandolfi

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