Bolt... -ed to my seat

Faster than a speeding greyhound, more powerful than a pit bull, it's Bolt! Yes, Bolt, pooch from a Hollywood sound stage here to entertain you, even if he doesn't know it.

Such is the premise of Disney's newest serving of animated films under the watchful eye of producer John Lasseter. Though, don't let the pedigree of Lasseter overshadow the presence of the directors Byron Howard and Chris Williams (who shares writing chores with Dan Fogelman), who I'm sure had a hand in this charmer out of Disney's Animation House.

Much like its titular character, Bolt is a charming creature with big eyes. While many other critics have clocked it for being fairly unoriginal in terms of plot, I can say that never mattered to me during my viewing. I was too charmed by the characters involved, doing an animal version of a dog with a Quixote complex of comedic proportions to mind the well-trod ground the movie guided me through.

I'm a bit of a sucker for good characters, so if your story is rudimentary, I'll give you a pass as the people involved (or animals as the case may be) move me through a familiar territory with familiar story beats with their shining, engaging personalities as the guide.

Indeed, everyone in Bolt shines in their own archetypal ways. John Travolta portrays the worldly ignorant, but heroically capable Bolt with wide-eyed determination and thanks to the animation, similarly wide-eyed cuteness. Behind him is Susan Essman layering a complex cat companion who gets some of the snappiest lines in the movie. Then there's Mark Walton's nine-hundred-mile-an-hour hamster: Rhino, who is a film unto himself (though whether it's this one or a fanatic documentary is not for me to judge).

But wait! The people are interesting too! Miley Cyrus playing her usual girl next door in Penny nails it and the warble in the back of her throat hardly needs the slick hands of the animators to bring across in the sadness she carries when worrying for her lost dog Bolt. James Lipton as the director bolsters and bravado's his way through his scenes and after him are a sea of skilled voice actors and prepared animated people holding the Bolt world securely bolted down.

The only thing that removed me was the agent character, who was a little too cliche in his adoration of Penny and her prospects as a big, big star. A shame as Greg Germann was putting so much oil in that role, I swear the guys in the sound studio slipped on their way out. Though to give him credit, next to some of Rhino's almost wetted pants screams of excitement, he held a couple of clever lines (I won't be surprised to hear people going "Let's take a pin and put this conversation here" because of him).

Such names and performances were only underscored by the warm and cuddly animation provided. Not quite on the round and bouncy level of Pixar's cg world, Bolt has a pedigree of its own in terms of design letting just enough action in to keep you moving forward.

The action was probably the most surprising joy of the film: well-crafted, executed with a Spielbergian eye to explosions, halfway through the in-joke laden bit of Bolt: The Television Show I found myself wishing this was a real action show (congrats, Lasseter, you have one vote for the idea). While no Incredibles, Bolt possesses enough action chops of real and TV variety to roll with the best Bond or Bat-flick.

Unlike those mentioned though, Bolt I predict taking up a favored place on my DVD shelf in the future. While I may have to be in the mood for Bond, James Bond and even Dark Knight requires a certain mindset, Bolt has just the right presence to be an anytime movie. Bad day, good day, something to have in the background or film to focus on, I can see people watching Bolt any time and at any moment.