Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Kinley This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

jeandewey I first saw this movie when my children were young in the early 80's. Now 30 years later I am enjoying it again with my granddaughter. For a two year old she sits spellbound through it from beginning to end. She is always concerned when Shadow falls from the railroad tracks in to the mud and cant get out and encourages him to keep trying. My favorite scene is the suspense building as you wait for the animals to come in to view in the end and return to their owners. Waiting for Shadow to make his appearance always has the tears running down my cheeks. I know he is going to make it but it is still an emotional scene as he gains speed running to his owner. I had to order this movie to add to my granddaughters collection.

Robert On a social networking site, a friend posted a screen cap of a movie with edited captions on it. The movie was of some dogs talking to each other. I looked it up and discovered this movie.I got it and watched it. My younger sister came in halfway and she is very sensitive to movies that are even a little bit scary. To give an example, she cried at the end of Open Season because she didn't think Boog would make it back home and was upset about it.So with that in mind, I watched the movie for the first time. And so I didn't have the nostalgia feeling as many did. But I still enjoyed it and could tell that it could produce that feeling for those growing up. I really liked the plot, the simplicity of the animals speaking (no moving animated mouths or anything) and the music helped to fit in with the theme.I rate this 8/10 for a brilliant movie that deserves a higher rating on IMDb than a 6.

omkar1984 It took me to the times when I had pets and they actually formed an integral part of my life ! The best part of the movie is it's majestic panorama - pine forests, clear streams,undisturbed stretches of open fields and grandeur of the mountains - I haven't searched about where this film was shot but will find it soon. An old craving to make a vagabond amidst nature popped up again ! Having experienced the psyche of cats and dogs closely, I enjoyed the depiction.Though cats are not as emotional as Sassy,it feels good to see it that way.Chance is a typical pup which appeals directly due to it's raw innocence.Shadow,on the contrary,adds much of the emotional flavor the movie has.All in all,the movie is a win.Only one sad thing struck my mind - I doubt if the future generations will ever experience an idyllic,artless childhood amidst a calm nature !!!

chucknorrisrules SPOILERS ALERTHomeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is an important film from my life because it's the first film I remember seeing in the cinema of my home town as a 4-year old scamp. The story is based on the Sheila Burnford novel, and is a reason why it's not possible to write this one off as a brainless Lassie clone.The basic story: Two dogs and a cat happily live in the Seaver family when the new husband to the mother of the three children, gets a job in the city and they have to temporarily move into inner San Francisco while the animals are sent to a ranch to live for a couple of months. The bonds between the animals and the children they watch out for are especially strong, and Shadow the golden retriever and Sassy the Himalayan cat are heartbroken as the children are, though the young and happy-go-lucky American Bulldog known as Chance is a little less concerned and somewhat cynical (due in part to his voice-over explaining his being abandoned as a pup, picked up to an animal shelter, and being bought by the family), though his growth as a character during the story provides much of the important storytelling.The three pets escape the ranch and head off into the wide and dangerous wilderness (fantastic wilderness settings by the way), driven on by Shadow's instincts of direction. They meet several perils along the way, hoping to make it home, while the family and the ranch hosts are suddenly concerned about the animal disappearance. There are funny moments all the way through, great dialogue between the three animals and hilarious lines (see - memorable quotes), and a touching comradeship that grows between the main characters during the course of the storytelling, punctuated by moments of sadness (such as when Sassy's arrogance of trying to cross a river without getting wet causes her to fall in the river and get washed down a waterfall, leaves a moment of loss that is felt deeply by the viewers).Somehow though, I fail to see what the inclusion of saving the girl lost in the wilderness adds to the story and the journey they take. Somehow, it seems a little unnecessary as part of the story.The ending cranks the stakes higher when shadow falls into a pit in a trainyard and having hurt his leg, finds it hard to get out and gives up, exhausted, followed by Chance climbing in with him to persuade him to climb out, telling him how important he is to him and how he's pushed them this far so he shouldn't throw it all away so easily. The way that this scene (brilliantly done) isn't concluded leaves an ambiguity that carries on into the final scene when Chance and Sassy return home, but Shadow is nowhere to be seen. Then just as all seems lost, he slowly appears, and is reunited with the family. Chance's conclusion at the end speaks of the comradeship that has developed between he and his fellows on the journey, and the realisation to what home really is from his long journey to get there, leaves a fine epilogue to demonstrate how much his character has grown, but also how the other two have as well. Hang on a second, I think I'm going to cry...Anyway, I haven't read Sheila Burnford's book, so I don't pretend to know where the differences between book and film lie. But this is a film that all the family can watch, and while the tots will love the talking animals, older viewers will understand the plot line better (as I found when I watched the film again after several years without seeing it). This film is a masterpiece in cinema, and I suggest that if you haven't seen it you go out and get it!And please avoid the sequel (see my review for Homeward Bound II!)