Bolt

Disney’s 48th canonical animated feature, directed by Chris Williams, was the 2008 film Bolt. Starring John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Malcolm McDowell, Diedrich Bader, Nick Swardson, Greg Germann, Susie Essman and Mark Walton, the film grossed $310 million. It was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film.

Bolt (Travolta) is a genetically altered dog with superpowers who fights alongside Penny (Cyrus) against the forces of Dr. Calico (McDowell). On TV anyways. In reality, Bolt believes his powers are real and the crew carefully hides anything that might reveal the truth to him. But one day, the crew chooses a cliffhanger plot, causing Bolt to escape and try to rescue her for real.

A lot of films and television series can’t get the trope of introducing a character to a new atmosphere right. But this film does well with it, especially in what it takes for Bolt to realize he really doesn’t have any powers. And even then, Rhino continues the charade, thinking Bolt’s still enhanced. Though, as with many Disney films, Bolt still manages to become a hero in the end by saving Penny from a burning building. Powers or not.

Mittens also has quite the interesting character arc. She’s an alley cat who believes humans can’t ever truly love an animal because her owners declawed her before throwing her out. She’s the streetwise mentor to Bolt, teaching him about the real world too. But when all is said and done, even she realizes she’s mistaken.

The whole concept of the plot is fascinating as well, taking the idea of The Truman Show and applying it to a dog. Granted keeping the façade up for Bolt is a bit harder because it’s a sci-fi/spy/action show. But they managed to do it, until the network executive showed up. And she’s the only real thing that can come close to a villain in the film. But she’s not evil. She’s just trying to make sure the network keeps all its viewers and nobody gets fired.

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James and the Giant Peach

Another hybrid was released in 1996. This one, James and the Giant Peach was based off the 1961 RoaldDahl novel by the same name. Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Paul Terry and Simon Callow, the film came $200,000 short of breaking even. But it did receive a nomination for Best Musical Score.

James (Terry) lived a happy lie with his parents, until they were eaten by a rhinoceros and he was sent to live with his aunts, Spiker (Miriam Margoyles) and Sponge (Joanna Lumley). One day, he meets a strange old man (Pete Postelthwaite) who gives him a bag of crocodile tongues, which he says can make his life better. James drops the bag on his way home, and the contents sink into the ground. Soon, a nearby tree tarts to bear a peach, which grows twice its size overnight. One night, James crawls into the hole and discovers a group of huge, talking insects (Callow, Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Sarandon, David Thewlis, and Miriam Margoyles). They befriend him and travel to New York City.

This movie has a lot wrong with it, the biggest being with Ms. Spider. She tells James that she’s a perpetual loner and the other bugs fear her. And normally, this would be a great character, having her defrost and become accepted by the other insects. Except, the way she describes herself and her situation is never seen. She’s almost always seen in the company of the other insects, dances with them in every musical number, and is the only one to accompany James after he decides to rescue Mr. Centipede when he goes to get a compass. Look, while I have a problem employing “show, don’t tell” in my fiction, I at least try to convey it. This movie just tells us that Spider is not well liked and is reclusive, but that’s never shown. At least Centipede and Grasshopper developed from their bitterness into their friendship. It was extremely fast, but it was there. None of the other bugs are all that interesting either. They’re just sort of there, without any real depth to their characters. And Paul Terry. Kid said he’d never act again after the spider bit him in that scene. Good thing too because he just cannot act.

And that’s another thing, this movie has no sense of pacing. We’re introduced to James’ parents and immediately after, they’re eaten by a rhino. We get one scene that shows how happy James is with them, but they don’t mean all that much to the audience. It’s also not explained just how they came about a rhinoceros. In the book, it escaped and ate them while they were shopping. It actually makes a little bit of sense. Though it would make more sense if rhinos were carnivorous.  It’s also makes no sense how it immediately disappears once James decides to stand up to it and face his fears. If it could be defeated so anticlimactically, then how did it eat his parents!?

Spiker and Sponge showing up in New York City is also completely idiotic. Especially when it’s shown that they drove all the way from England. They weren’t animated like James and the insects were, how did they do it? Really, they didn’t need to show up in New York City. There could have been a much better confrontation at that point.

Everything else aside, the sets and animation are good and interestingly designed and it’s got a nice soundtrack. But unless you’re going for an arthouse film, no amount of good music, sets, designs, and animation will be able to make up for bad pacing, acting, characterization, and massive story flaws.

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