Bolt (2008)

The canine star of a fictional sci-fi/action show that believes his powers are real embarks on a cross country trek to save his co-star from a threat he believes is just as real.

Directors:

Byron Howard, Chris Williams

Writers:

Dan Fogelman (screenplay), Chris Williams (screenplay),

Stars:

John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Bolt (voice)
Miley Cyrus	...	Penny (voice)
Susie Essman	...	Mittens (voice)
Mark Walton	...	Rhino (voice)
Malcolm McDowell	...	Dr. Calico (voice)
James Lipton	...	The Director (voice)
Greg Germann	...	The Agent (voice)
Diedrich Bader	...	Veteran Cat (voice)
Nick Swardson	...	Blake (voice)
J.P. Manoux	...	Tom (voice)
Dan Fogelman	...	Billy (voice)
Kari Wahlgren	...	Mindy (voice)
Chloë Grace Moretz	...	Young Penny (voice) (as Chloë Moretz)
Randy Savage	...	Thug (voice)
Ronn Moss	...	Dr. Forrester (voice)

Storyline

Bolt, an American white shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers. When separated from the studio by accident, he meets a female alley cat named Mittens and a hamster named Rhino. He's trying to find the way home, to the studio. Along the way, he learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show is not real.

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Plot Keywords:

superpower | dog | hamster | cat | hollywood | 

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Taglines:

A hero is unleashed 2008.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild action and peril

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

American Dog

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£5,457,438 (UK) (13 February 2009)

Gross:

£17,745,776 (UK) (3 April 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital EX DTS-ES

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In France, all the cinemas carrying the 3D version of the film showed it exclusively in its French dub. As such, viewers who wanted to see the film in English (with subtitles) had no choice but to see the 2D version.

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Goofs

In the beginning scene, where Penny and Bolt are acting out the chase scene on the playback monitor, the producers are enraged over a boom mic showing up in the shot. Yet seconds earlier during the actual scene, you don't see the boom mic in the upper right corner. This is not a goof, as the playback monitor may show areas near the edges of the picture that would be cropped in the actual broadcast.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Young Penny: [points to puppy Bolt, decisively] That one.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, a hamster running in a hamster wheel comes up with the words. When he stops running, the words stop moving. Another hamster enters in from the left to take his place. After a high-five, they switch. The first hamster walks off, the second starts running, and the credits resume rolling.

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Connections

Spin-off Super Rhino (2009)

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Soundtracks

"I Thought I Lost You"
Written by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele
Performed by Miley Cyrus and John Travolta
Produced by Scott Cutler and Anne Preven
Mixed by Trina Shoemaker
Miley Cyrus appears courtesy of Hollywood Records

User Reviews

Bolt brings back true Disney

I have been anticipating the release of Bolt for several months. I had an opportunity to see a screening of it and it exceeded all my expectations. Bolt is a wonderful movie with a good story and heart, something that Pixar has done well but Disney has struggled with. I believe the addition of John Lasseter to Disney Animation has made a significant impact on the quality and continuity of this film. Yes, it is CGI. You may ask, "Why is Disney doing CGI when Pixar already does?" All the studios are doing CGI right now. I have been very impressed with Pixar's CGI detail, however the detail in Bolt is even better. Creating a dog with fur that gets dirty, wet, wind-blown and looks real is very impressive (at least it is to me). In addition to better detail, the color and light of this film is so true to life, you'll think it's the real thing.

I laughed, cried, and was on the edge of my seat. Disney has created some lovable characters who will definitely win the hearts of millions. Congrats to the entire Disney Animation studio, well done.