Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

By Common Sense Media, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Adventurous animal tale will have kids riveted.

Movie G 1993 84 minutes
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 5+

Based on 26 parent reviews

Nana-Papa
Nana-Papa Parent
October 9, 2021
age 6+

Good, except for the Humor

Our 6 year old loved it, but unfortunately the snarky humor did not go over his head. The next day, he greeted his grandmother with "Hi, Butt-Face!" We had to have a long talk about why the cat was literally "sassy" to the dogs at first, and why it is insulting to others to use those sassy lines from the movie. There were also fat jokes and fat sight gags, which should never be acceptable. There was a lack of diversity, except for one Black character, a police officer who was portrayed eventually as empathetic. Overall it was a good pick for a first-time full feature for a sensitive boy: tense but not too scary, with positive messages about family and the love and loyalty between pets and their children. Just wish the humor had not been demeaning and hoping our boy doesn't repeat the lines at school.
4 people found this helpful.
Twotrees
Twotrees Parent of 3-year-old
May 9, 2021
age 3+

Great film for the family

So we did let our son know that the animals were pretending and would all be okay. Some of the story was hard for him to follow but he loved it. We love that there is no villain. Chance and Sassy are a bit mean to each other but they learn. The cat and water scene is the scariest bit so we did tell our son it would be okay and he did dream about it once (he is three). There is a cougar and a lost girl but those were quickly resolved without being too heavy for our sensitive son. Enjoyable with good characters. There is some gender stuff like the cat is the only girl and she says things about weight and getting dirty, but the other female characters are well rounded so it wouldn't come across as gender stereotyping to our so much as cat stereotyping.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
See all 26 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When their owners go on vacation at the start of HOMEWARD BOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, golden retriever Shadow (voiced by Don Ameche), bulldog Chance (Michael J. Fox), and Himalayan cat Sassy (Sally Field), are left with a friend. After a few days, Chance becomes convinced that something's wrong and runs away; Sassy and Shadow follow. Determined to go home, they traverse the Sierras, ford rivers, and tangle with unfriendly bears. Shadow becomes a hero by finding a lost little girl and alerting her parents. Afterward, when the three pets are taken to a shelter to await their family, they again break out and continue their difficult journey. Exchanging wisecracks all the way, Chance, Shadow, and Sassy finally arrive home, where they're welcomed with open arms.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (26 ):
Kids say (33 ):

Witty dialogue and well-cast voices make this movie a delight from start to finish. Fox and Ameche do a terrific job of giving voice to their canine characters; Ameche is particularly poignant as the older and much wiser Shadow. Field, hilarious as the snide and sharp-tongued Sassy, constantly berates Chance for his impetuous behavior and less-than-perfect manners. The animals themselves perform some riveting stunts.

As the threesome makes their way home, viewers of Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey are carried along through a landscape full of peril and beauty. Although there are some scary moments -- like when Shadow and Chance confront a bobcat, or when the elderly Shadow falls into a deep ditch on the last leg of their journey -- the banter keeps things light. The well-written script contains plenty of kid-friendly humor, but even adult viewers will enjoy Sassy's stinging putdowns and Shadow's deep-voiced wisdom.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what kids should do if they get separated from their parents, like the animals do in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.

  • How did Shadow, Chance, and Sassy cope with their fear of being alone?

  • What is your favorite animal movie, and why? Why are animal movies so popular?

  • How do the characters in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey demonstrate teamwork, perseverance, and courage? Why are those important character strengths?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate