Overview
An adventurous dog discovers the truth about his life and the world beyond the studio.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- heartwarming
- family movie night
- lazy weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly found Bolt to be a polished, sweet, entertaining Disney family adventure with appealing vocal performances and a more coherent story than many animated contemporaries, though not as consistently inventive as Pixar’s best work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bolt genuinely believes the superpowers and heroic missions shown on his television program are real.
Bolt interprets studio storytelling, separation from Penny, and ordinary dangers through the rules of his action show.
After being separated from the studio, Bolt crosses unfamiliar places with Mittens and Rhino while trying to return home.
The opening action-show environment is set against Bolt’s unscripted journey beyond the studio.
Films like Bolt, and why
The Secret Life of Pets
Animated family adventure centered on an animal protagonist, friendship, travel, and discovering a wider world beyond a sheltered home.
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
Warm animated adventure combining animal characters, comedic personality clashes, peril, and a return-home journey.
The Truman Show
Family-friendly animated comedy about a domesticated animal confronting the difference between performance, identity, and real life.
Movie Details
- Directors
- Chris Williams, Byron Howard
- Release Date
- 2008-11-21
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (6658)
Cast
- John Travolta
- Miley Cyrus
- Susie Essman
- Mark Walton
- Malcolm McDowell
- James Lipton
- Greg Germann
- Diedrich Bader
- Nick Swardson
- J.P. Manoux
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bolt about?
- A television superhero dog crosses the real world with two unlikely companions and discovers that courage comes from loyalty rather than superpowers.
- What is Bolt like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bolt as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Bolt violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Bolt as mild.
- What did critics think of Bolt?
- Critics broadly found Bolt to be a polished, sweet, entertaining Disney family adventure with appealing vocal performances and a more coherent story than many animated contemporaries, though not as consistently inventive as Pixar’s best work.
- Which films are like Bolt?
- Films with a similar feel include The Secret Life of Pets, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, and The Truman Show.
- How long is Bolt?
- Bolt runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bolt?
- In United States, Bolt streams on Disney Plus.
