Parents' Guide to

Bolt

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Super-dog adventure is fun, age-appropriate for kids.

Movie PG 2008 96 minutes
Bolt Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • 1:25

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age 6+

Based on 95 parent reviews

Hickmbe
Hickmbe Adult
January 23, 2020
age 8+

What is wrong with this reviewer?

Common Sense Media normally it's pretty conservative with recommended age range but this one is completely off. I read the negative reviews and I thought it would get better after it unfolded. I guess the movie is trying to go for a Truman show vibe but as another reviewer noted kids don't have that context. What they see is a dad get kidnapped by a really scary guy. A dog purposely subjected to serious anxiety because he thinks his young owner is in mortal peril. And a girl who has no agency because her "agent" not her mother has authority in doing what's best for her daughter. Seriously my son who loves Spiderverse and wasn't phased has been spontaneously crying, scared his dad won't come he from work, and wants all lights in the house on. I read the reviews and thought my kid would be able to handle it and was so so so wrong. So please parents before you think your kid can handle it watch a few minutes by yourself before subjecting your kids to the potential trauma. Please Common Sense Media please reconsider your recommendation for 5 years old on this movie.
Marzypan
Marzypan Parent of 3 and 12-year-old
November 16, 2019
age 9+

CS rating too young

I lost faith in Cs a few years ago when i let my then 7 yo watch this - i kicked myself for trusting the common sense consensus of 5+ Y’all are raising some cynical violent kids. I turned it off when the crass Hollywood villain careened in at the start. Sad if you think your kid needs to be this stressed out and overwhelmed to be entertained. We finally watched the film recently and my son (now 12 remarked that he still finds it pretty alarming - and he can handle harry potter and black panther etc) theres just something about the cynicism in this movie that is deadening.
See all 95 parent reviews

What's the Story?

BOLT (voiced by John Travolta, doing some of his best work in years) is a special dog who's trained to believe he's actually a crime-fighting dog with superpowers, rather than a canine actor. Since puppyhood, Bolt has lived only on the TV show's set and truly thinks his young owner Penny (Miley Cyrus) lives under constant threat from a mad scientist and his evil cats. When Bolt accidentally lands in a shipping box, he winds up in New York City, still under the delusion that he's all-powerful. With the help of a reluctant stray cat named Mittens (Susie Essman) and a feisty hamster named Rhino (Mark Walton), Bolt travels cross-country to find his beloved Penny.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (95 ):
Kids say (90 ):

Travolta is surprisingly evocative as a dog with a brave exterior but sensitive spirit. It's also refreshing to hear Cyrus as something other than her self-promoting persona or her alter ego, Hannah Montana. The pair have a touching on-screen chemistry, as do Travolta and Essman, who's best known as Jeff Garlin's shrewish wife Susie on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm. Toning down the edge in her New York accent, Essman's Mittens may remind viewers of a more assertive Jessie from Toy Story 2.

With John Lasseter installed as chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation, Pixar's influence is noticeable in Bolt, and that's a good thing. It's not a Pixar film, but the revolutionary studio's meticulous attention to detail and dialogue are evident. There aren't too many wink-wink double entendres or inside pop-culture jokes -- just a simple story about a super dog who comes to terms with being super to the only person who counts.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what made kids want to see this movie -- was it the story or all of the advertising/marketing?

  • Do you prefer animated movies where the voices are done by celebrities? Why or why not? How is Miley Cyrus uniquely qualified to star in a movie about a celebrity who should be allowed to act normal?

  • What's the difference between reality and fiction? How was Bolt stuck in a fictional life? What does Penny think Bolt is missing by thinking he's actually a super dog? Why is Mittens skeptical about humans?

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