“Home On the Range” (Walt Disney Pictures)
“Home On the Range” is a hand drawn animated film. That means it belongs to the same ranks as “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin.” It also has the commonality of original music by Alan Mencken. With that kind of pedigree this film should be a wonder and a delight. It isn’t. It is a mild amusement that kids will love and parents will tolerate.
The film centers around three cows. They are Maggie (voiced by Roseanne Barr), Mrs. Calloway (Judi Dench), and Grace (Jennifer Tilly). These three moo-cows decide they have to capture Alameda Slim (Randy Quaid), an outlaw of the worst kind. If they do they can get the reward money and save the farm where they live.
A horse named Buck (Cuba Gooding, Jr) also has being a hero in mind. He goes after Slim too but only after frightening away another horse (Patrick Walburton). A wily rabbit also joins in on the chase.
This is the basic plot and it stretches out over seventy-five minutes – and seems longer. There are a couple or more songs which are sung by k d lang, Tim McGraw and Bonnie Raitt. None of which are remember-able.
There are some funny lines and the cast delivers them with gusto, still the magic of the previous Disney animated films is not present here. I can’t imagine this one being brought out every few years to the delight of anyone.
The movie is rated PG for some mildly crude humor and comic violence.
“Home On the Range” is said to be the last hand drawn animated film from Disney. If so, this was not a magnificent way for the animators to leave. They should have packed it up after “Brother Bear” and it would have left a better taste in everyone’s mouth.
Your kids will enjoy “Home On the Range” but you might feel unmoo-ved by it all.
I scored “Home On the Range” an outlawed 4 out of 10.
