3 stars***

Undoubtedly, this is Disney’s best animated movie in a long time; it almost takes you back to when Disney made movies where we could ‘feel’ the characters rather than their recent history of forcing us back in our seats and being ‘hit’ by clever animations, but not so much movie interest.

This is a mixture of the days when we loved the ‘101 Dalmatians’ and today’s computer generated technology. It’s the only place (almost) where you’ll see a dog, cat and hamster get along so well without chasing each other, but admittedly the dog doesn’t treat the cat so well before they become friends.

Walt Disney Animation Studios should be complemented on how well they’ve looked at the ways dogs, cats and hamsters really react in their daily lives. The little touches employed by the Disney people are excellent. One example was when Bolt when to his cabin. He turned in a few circles before sitting down. Dogs do this, but it’s rarely seen in movies, especially animated models.

The screenplay by Chris Williams and Dan Fogleman from Chris Sander’s idea is structured well to ensure that we get a good story line that’s not lame with one or two big moments strung out by long non entity sections. This script really moves along correctly, as though we have full human interface. We actually fall for the story and believe in it and the characters.

The comedy is good and matches its audience, probably from aged 9 to 99. It’s probably too worrying or frightening for kids under 9, but parents and guardians will have to judge that one.

It was made in eighteen months, which I’m told is short for this type of movie, but it still cost $150 million to make, so those DVD sales are going to have to be high to get the original costs back. Still, with games and other merchandise, it might not be the movie that makes Disney the Bolt money.

John Travolta does a really good job as Bolt giving full expression so that we really know him quite soon. I’m told that Miley Cyrus is quite big in the states at the moment (where have I been?). Her voicing of Bolt’s owner is spot on.

I wish I’d seen this in 2008 as it would have just piped Madagascar; Escape2Africa, to our annual award. Both are far more entertaining that that bore, WallE. If I wanted a lecture I’d have gone to college. I sought entertainment and Bolt certainly figures very high in that neighborhood.

It looks like we’re on a dog film run at the moment. First we had Marley & Me, now Bolt and very soon we’ll see the Hotel for Dogs movie. All we need now is 103 Dalmatians.

kids rating 3 stars***

It’s a Disney movie so you should know what to expect, accept it didn’t do it for me; it didn’t feel like a family movie, just a kid’s movie. In truth, this should be a 6 year old’s review of how they saw it.

Luckily, having a six year old daughter gives me that point of view.

She though it was very good. She liked the dogs. She liked the way they all went to Mexico to find the dog when it went missing. She was scared when the Doberman looked like it might eat the star. She was glad when the dog was saved. It was fun.

From an older point of view the trailer was brilliant. It contained all the good lines and the good jokes from the longer version, so I could have saved over an hour of my life by just watching the trailer and missing the movie. In the end, I gained the most because I spent quality time with my daughter, which is so valuable in terms of life appreciation. We talked about the movie; she came to me for a cuddle when she was scared. She enjoyed the pizza and water.

Again, I wonder why studios need to spend so much on the cast when its audience (five to eight years old) couldn’t care less who voices the dogs? I know it sells tickets to the parents and guardians, uncles and grandparents, but why?

I was saved from the $6 double bill of High School Musical 3 because one film is enough for a six year old in one stretch, especially if you want them to spend more time reading and keeping your own sanity. I understand (from those that stayed for both films) that I saw the better one by a millions miles. Oh I feel so lucky sometimes.

I’ll go and see any Drew Barrymore film as she brings a presence to her movies. Please be in person next time as your voice only, doesn’t save the day.

Please Disney, you got it right with 101 Dalmatians and so many others. I really believed in those dogs and watch it on DVD every four months and always with my daughter.

Just show me the trailer to Beverley Hills Chihuahua on continuous loop and I’ll laugh my tail off.