Bolt

CinemaSerf

6/10

12/7/2023

This starts off quite entertainingly with "Penny" and her super-hero dog "Bolt" having to thwart the evil plans of the dastardly "Dr. Calico". She's on her glorified scooter and he just on his four paws - but they are not daunted by the overwhelming forces arrayed against them as they try to get to the airport. Well, that's when we realise that this is a television show and there'll be another edition tomorrow. Or will there? "Mindy" from the network comes to tell the rather fastidious director that the demographic is a bit bored with formulaic television and so he's going to have to introduce some jeopardy or it's the can for all of them! The subsequent attempt to revamp the brand results in "Bolt" thinking his pal really has been kidnapped and ending up in a box full of polystyrene packing many, many miles away in NYC. Can he get back in time to save her from their evil nemesis? Well, en route he meets the street-smart "Mittens" and they have quite few adventures as he tries to get home. It's a perfectly watchable family adventure film, but like the television show it's based around, it's entirely derivative and formulaic. Plenty of set-piece action scenes before a conclusion that rather reinforces the unoriginality of it all. It's busy, colourful and the younger amongst us will probably quite enjoy it, but I reckon unless you're a grown up pet lover (dogs especially) you might struggle to remember this.