For your well-being

Rating: Null/10 (8 November 2014)

The key element that remains with one after a viewing of this flick is one of irony, based on how it all plays out. Not just limited to how superheroes and arch-nemeses function in their respective universes (think 'The Incredibles'), but also extends to how Disney and Marvel are feeding off of one another after the merger/takeover (there's an almost casual nod to an FF4 kinda team-up, that was a little too on-the-nose for comfort, but might be considered inevitable in a flick of this sort, considering the overall context).
The dark elements are all there, with this being another animated flick to take on themes of death and loss, and not being too subtle about it (which is perhaps good, when contrasted with the way 'HTTYD2' handled it - rather awkwardly, and how 'Frozen' chose to handle it). Death and loss arising therefrom is a part of life, and this is the only window to that aspect of life for the little ones who are this flick's target demographic (for my money, 'Up' and 'Finding Nemo' and perhaps even 'The Lion King' handled it with dignity, and it's perhaps a bit much to expect everyone to match up to those standards, or maybe not). Would I want my little one to watch it and field awkward questions after? No, absolutely not. But hey, it's no longer my choice to make, since other kids in school are gonna watch it, and you gotta face it, one time or the other, or have some stranger explain it to your near-and-dear. I'd rather deal with it firsthand.
While most of the first act is very endearing, esp. the kids' relationship with their scatterbrained aunt (there should have been much, much more of Maya Rudolph's Aunt Cass, and this flick would've been all the better for it, more Disney-like, in any case, but no one asked me), the camaraderie and joie-de-vivre among the college nerd gang (again, cut short rather abruptly) and the budding relationship between our (kinda) lovable 'Hiro' and his healthcare companion, who's absolutely endearing, and yes, huggable. A lot.
And then it all derails in the final act (might have been required, but there was a movie of this genre, the animated superhero genre, that is, that did it wayyyyy better). The Incredibles. Actually, there was one other, a lesser, more underrated work, that still comes to mind in a way that almost banishes this one to be it's really lesser cousin - Megamind. I am surprised at this, since closure is one of Disney's, and Disney-Pixar's think-tank's strengths. They really missed the boat with this one, and it calls to mind (mine at least), the misfire that was this year's HTTYD2 (How to train your dragon 2 - oh, how I'd looked forward to that one). Even the arcs that various characters in 'Bolt' had (one of the helmers of this one made that one too) is far better than the clichéd way in which plot contrivances pile on in this one, and the angsty emotions go on for far too long in a kids flick. I get it - I am one of the adults that the studio wants to court, but there are better references that have done the job, and though the people in charge try hard, they don't quite pull it off.
Conclusively though, it's a big-screen experience, and though it has quite a few pitfalls on its way to its conclusion, there are moments that seem quite inspired, and perhaps that is worth the price of admission. 3D for sure, though there are audience members out there that do not understand the concept of depth (wanting everything to be thrown at them, and only then feel it's 3 dimensional) who might wanna choose the 2D option. Not another Disney classic in the making, though not for lack of trying.