Bolt

Maximum John Travolta. Minimum Miley Cyrus. There is hope for this movie yet!

John Travolta provides the voice of Bolt – a dog who believes he is a superhero because he plays one on TV. The show’s director (James Lipton) has never allowed Bolt to leave the studio, making the puppy feel that he really is the defender and protector of his beloved owner and co-star, Penny (Miley Cyrus) – a young girl cast to battle the evil Dr. Calico (Malcolm McDowell) in an attempt to help her kidnapped father.

In real life, Penny also loves Bolt, which makes her heartbroken when he escapes the studio trying to find her after the show’s big season finale cliffhanger, which leaves the courageous canine thinking she has been snatched up by Dr. Calico!

Will Bolt be able to survive in the real world?

Can he find his way back to the studio and Penny?

Will he realize that he doesn’t have all of those superpowers?

John Travolta puts in his best performance in years, so maybe he should continue to make animated movies. He fills Bolt with a lovable earnestness that is infectious. Where the movie could be silly or Bolt’s actions too naïve, Travolta makes us believe the pooch because we want to love the cuddly little furball who is motivated by his feelings for Penny and his desire to be with the owner who means so much to him.

Then, Mark Walton steals the show as Rhino – the hamster who watches Bolt on “the magic box” and leaps at the chance to be his right hand mammal. Walton makes Rhino into a deliriously, dementedly funny character who goes so far over-the-top he is hitting his head on the sun, but that’s exactly what Rhino needs, and what kids and adults alike will find hilarious. Walton never holds back and his voice teamed with the great animation makes Rhino into one of the most memorable characters you will see in any movie this year.

Writer Dan Fogelman, writer/director Chris Williams and co-director Byron Howard find the right amount of sincerity, schmaltz and silliness to make Bolt entertaining for everyone. Kids will love the goofiness. Adults without kids can enjoy the mocking of Hollywood, and the confusion our animals have because they don’t understand our world and parents will probably appreciate all of it. Bolt is a movie that doesn’t try too hard to be hip, but still has some smart jokes in it, along with the best non-Pixar animation I have ever seen from Disney.

It might get a bit hokey and predictable towards the end, but Bolt is the best movie for the Thanksgiving holiday. I wish I had watched it in 3D.

Bolt is rated PG for some mild action and peril.