Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey [G]

Chance is a pup that has been given a second chance at life. Abandoned when he was little, he spent much of his time on the streets and at the pound. But that was before he was adopted into a new family. Cautious about caring for his new owners, Chance laughs at the loyalty of wise old golden retriever, Shadow and stuck-up Himalayan can, Sassy. But that changes when the family goes away and leaves the pets with a friend. Frightened that something terrible has happened to their owners, Shadow and Sassy escape into the wilderness determined to find their way home and Chance goes along for the ride. But along the way, he learns what it really means to have someone care about him and what it means to love someone back. 

This was one of my absolute favourite films when I was a little girl and it still stands up today. A beautiful story about friendship, courage, and loyalty, Homeward Bound stands the test of time as a gorgeous and deeply moving film interpreting animal consciousness and telling a poignant and inspiring tale if ever there was one. It’s warm, funny, and at times absolutely heartbreaking and I loved revisiting every single minute of it. 

During the ‘90s, films that starred live animals and voice actors were all the rage: Babe, Napoleon, and Milo and Otis where amongst my favourites. Homeward Bound sits snugly within the company of these childhood classics. 

During childhood there is a fascination about the inner workings of the minds of other creatures and what makes these movies so entertaining to watch is not so much the great stories they tell, or the precise and perfect voice acting, it’s the fact that it’s man’s interpretation of animals. These sorts of movies give animals voices and characters, all judged from what we know of the behaviours of them. It’s our interpretations and depictions of the minds of dogs and cats and it’s really very fascinating. 

Having said that, the story of Homeward Bound itself is pretty beautiful. It’s more than just three pets finding their way home; it’s a gorgeous tale of friendship, family, and changing identity. Chance is the leading character, with his own voice over narration chronicling his inner feelings during poignant moments of the narrative and what this movie becomes, for him, is a transformative journey of discovery. Gradually Chance learns that he can trust and love humans and that life can be different to the one that he has escaped from, and we get to see him transform from this reckless and arrogant pup that treats his humans with indifference to a loyal dog loving of his owner and best friend. 

The vocal performances are all spot on with the casting being absolutely perfect for each character. Michael J. Fox as Chance is street-smart, lippy, and recklessly immature, Sally Field as Sassy is eloquent, stuck-up, and very deserving of her character’s name, and Don Ameche provides the wise and loving voice of Shadow who was always my favourite. I absolutely adore Shadow! 

Starring Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Veronica Lauren, Benj Thall, and Kevin Chevalia, Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey is a warm, funny, and heartbreaking movie that stands up as a childhood classic against time’s expiring power. Filled with action, adventure, drama, and comedy, it’s simply adorable and had mum and I crying all the way through!