Bolt is an American White Shepherd, and he’s a superhero. He’s able to shoot laser beams from his eyes, run at lightning speed, smash through walls, and demolish entire armies with a single “super bark.” Or at least he thinks so.

Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is actually the star of a popular TV show. The show’s special effects lead Bolt to believe he has special powers which he uses to protect his owner Penny (voiced by Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus). When Bolt is accidentally shipped to New York, me must race back to Hollywood to save Penny, who he believes is in grave danger.

Along the way, Bolt meets an alley cat named Mittens (voiced by Susie Essman of Curb Your Enthusiasm) and an annoyingly adorable fat little hamster in a plastic ball, Rhino. Along the way, Bolt begins to realize that he’s just a normal dog. But of course, he learns an important lesson: even normal dogs can be heroes.

This is an idea that kids movies have played out over the years. A talking animal is lost from home, must find his way back, and learns an important lesson and meets new friends along the way. It’s a typical formula, and Bolt’s fake superpowers don’t make it much more interesting.

Sure it’s an enjoyable movie for young audiences, but most adults may find it cliché and unoriginal. They also may find it hard to buy John Travolta’s attempt to make his voice sound younger.

Bolt is bold but a bit slow, which is realistic because he is, in fact, a dog. That seems to be the extent of any type of realism in this movie. Luckily kids movies don’t need to make a whole lot of sense to be entertaining. It doesn’t matter that one dog is able to travel across the entire country undetected and in perfect health, and never mind how a hamster in a ball is able to keep up the whole way.

Most of this movie’s appeal lies in the character of Rhino. His loveable little hamster antics are fun for the whole family, but only for about ten minutes. For the rest of the movie, his actions are predictable and his jokes are old. We get it Rhino, you’re really small, but nothing will stop you from being a hero… until you die in three years.

Bolt is playing in 3D, which makes it a little bit more fun. It’s a good enough movie if you’re looking for a little entertainment, but make it your last option. You’d be better off with a VHS copy of Homeward Bound anyway.