Bolt

From their inception more than seventy years ago, Disney animated movies have often been concerned with the idea that an ordinary character can find in themselves the ability to be extraordinary. Additionally, many times has the idea been used to depict the mental and emotional maturity of a cuddly animal. Today, the formula is still going strong, as evidenced by the arrival of Disney's latest animated offering, the boisterously entertaining Bolt.

Employing a nested entertainment approach, Bolt tells the story of a courageous dog who plays the titular role in a popular television show. Bolt the television program chronicles the adventures of a super-powered canine who helps his human owner foil the plans of an evil mastermind. The human owner is played by a teenaged girl named Penny (voiced by Miley Cyrus, herself an expert on dual roles, considering her popularity as pop idol Hannah Montana), who doubles as the real-life companion of Bolt the actor.

Except that Bolt is not an actor, but rather a disillusioned dog who wholeheartedly believes that he possesses special abilities such as an earth-shattering bark and ocular laser beams. The reason for Bolt's confusion is that the show's producers believe the magic of the program is derived from Bolt's belief that every situation he is in really is a matter of life or death.

This unique approach to animal acting has worked well so far, but it causes problems when a humourless network executive pressures the creative minds behind the show to stray from the predictable plot conclusions that are supposedly causing a drop in the ratings. This leads to an episode in which the Penny character is captured by Calico, leaving Bolt momentarily alone. Thinking that Penny is in actual danger, Bolt escapes from his trailer and embarks on a quest to rescue her.

The basic premise of a story-within-a-story that mirrors the main plot may seem mildly worn, but it benefits from a unique conceit that requires Bolt to truly believe that he is imbued with superpowers. This twist allows the movie to fulfill the promise of feel-good entertainment because it puts Bolt on a journey of self discovery, but it also opens the doors to an exciting adventure that otherwise would have felt forced. Because Bolt believes he can perform heroic feats (and additionally, that it is his duty to do so), he continually embarks on extremely dangerous adventures in order to rescue Penny. These real-world sequences provide great humour and excitement and serve to make the hero even more endearing, because his heroism comes from an honest place, even if it is based on lies.

The plot travels a rather predictable road, but what the movie lacks in narrative ingenuity, it more than makes up for with its funny and heartfelt treatment of the engaging characters. Bolt is a wonderful character and his journey of self-discovery is touching because it rings true. Much of the credit for this achievement goes to John Travolta, whose recognizable voice disappears behind the confident eyes and white fur. Travolta breathes so much life into the character that every emotional up and down is successfully communicated on screen.

While Bolt may be the star, he cannot complete his journey without some help from his friends. Like so many of its animated Disney predecessors, Bolt the movie features a supporting character that steals the show. This time around, the honour goes to Rhino, a similarly delusional hamster who believes that everything he sees on television (or the "magic box," as he calls it) is real. When he comes face to face with Bolt in the flesh, he insists that he join him on his journey. Rhino travels around in a transparent hamster ball and probably qualifies as the toughest hamster ever depicted in a movie. He delivers the movie's funniest moments and his ludicrous enthusiasm is infectious. Also joining the group is a smart, down-to-earth alley cat named Mittens, who effectively serves as the group's voice of reason.

The animation in Bolt is absolutely gorgeous. It is easy to take for granted the technical artistry in a computer animated movie nowadays, but the visual work in Bolt is so vibrant and exciting that I could not help but be awed by its beauty. The movie is even presented in digital 3D in some theatres and the added dimension brings further clarity to the movie's striking visuals.

Bolt has its heart in the right place and it never condescends to children or adults. The message at its core is one that Disney movies have endlessly explored for decades, but the purity and optimism of the message does have a timeless appeal. In mixing beautiful animation with lovable characters, Bolt succeeds in the same way so many of its predecessors did before it. The transformation of a simple formula into something special and memorable has been the focus of Disney animated movies for a long time and Bolt gladly continues the tradition with its joyous energy and buoyant spirit.