425. Bolt (2008)

Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman

Director: Byron Howard, Chris Williams

Running Time: 96 mins

Bolt is an American film about a dog, in the belief that he is a superhero, despite being on a television show, who is taken away from his home, and must undertake a journey back home to save his person from an ‘evil genius’.

I loved watching this film! Full of lovely characters, an action-packed and fun story, and a consistently entertaining atmosphere, this film was a real pleasure to watch.

The idea of a dog being made to believe that he is really a superhero is, in reality, totally preposterous. It’s also initially quite difficult to even believe this seemingly ridiculous concept, but it does actually become quite interesting as the film goes through, lightly touching upon the idea of how TV can distort our vision and perception of reality, which I was surprised to see.

In terms of the story, it is really good fun to follow along. Chucking in almost all possible genres: action, road trip, drama etc., this film is a fast-paced but extremely enjoyable journey, where you get to know some of the main characters so well that you get a real emotional connection with them, making it all the more intriguing and relatable.

Luckily, on the more emotional side of things, this film doesn’t take itself too seriously. Not that it completely ridiculed the dog for being so attached to this person he wants to save, but there’s nothing in it that attempts to pull at your heartstrings.

Also, in terms of the emotional aspects, this film does talk quite a bit about companionship, and its importance. Although not outright, it is always talking about how being together can make everything better for everyone, giving the film a much more heartwarming tone.

Overall, I’ll give this a 7.4, because although it’s not the most incredibly exciting or hilarious film I’ve ever seen, it is enjoyable, heartwarming and surprisingly interesting to watch.