Retro Review: Homeward Bound

Michael Wermuth- Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a live-action film based on the book The Incredible Journey. The movie focuses on three house pets – Dogs Shadow (voice of Don Ameche) and Chance (Michael J. Fox), and cat Sassy (Sally Field)– as they get separated from their owners and head for home. The film is narrated by Chance, who had recently been rescued from the pound. Due to him being abandonded by his previous owners, he is not as attached to his owners as Shadow and Sassy are.

 The owners have to temporarily relocate due to the kids’ stepfathers job, and on the way drop off the pets to be taken care of by a family friend. However, the pets are unable to understand that they have to be without their owners for a few weeks, and eventually run away to go back home. Along the way, Sassy falls into the river and gets separated from the dogs, Chance gets too close to a porcupine (“HE BIT ME WITH HIS BUTT!”), and the trio find a lost girl, among other things.

 This is a good movie, but after watching it again for the first time in years, it’s amazing how sad this movie is at times. Particular sad points come when the kids have to say goodbye to their pets and Shadow cannot understand why his owner, Peter, is sad, and the climax, in which Shadow falls into a muddy hole and struggles to get out.

 The animals are good characters. Chance and Sassy are the funnier ones, with many of the best lines (including Sassy’s catch phrase “Cats rule and dogs drool” and Chance’s excitable “Turkey turkey turkey!”). Sassy gets a little character development after falling into the river, learning to appreciate the dogs better after getting lost. As for the kids, the oldest son Peter gets the most to do, while the other two don’t seem to do much. This movie also has some great music. It’s a great family film to watch.