Disturbing yet enthralling

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

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

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Acceptable film about Lassie in which suffers a car accident and is rescued by Turner family formed by Dad (Jon Tenney) , stepmom (Helen Slater) , little Jennifer (film debut of Michelle Williams and Anna Chlumsky turned down this role) and teenager Matthew (Tom Guiry) . All of them leave the town for the wilds of Virginia . In the country they are helped by a homeless collie named Lassie who becomes part of their lives . As Lassie protects Matthew from a dangerous wolf and saves him from a raging waterfall .Entertaining and fun dog movie shot in marvelous outdoors with very well trained animals . Exciting life of a Collie named Lassie is here expanded to include the adventures of the humans who surround the dog . It packs a good cast such as Michelle Williams , Tom Guiry , Helen Slater , John Tenney , Richard Fansworth and Frederic Forrest , among others . This is an amusing tale of some children , a family and the most remarkable dog in the world . Set Virginia dealing with the fate of a wonderful Collie dog and the people who own and command them , there are splendidly revealed as Lassie narrates the circle of his life and seen through its own carefree life and unflinching loyalty . Handsome take off of the Eric Knight family novel but sometimes fails to capture qualities that make this book a classic . There were some earlier "Lassies," in literature of the 1800's, as well as in silent films . Eric Knight, a British-born author, wrote a Lassie character in a short story in 1940 , then expanded it to a novel called "Lassie Come Home," which became the first Lassie sound film . This is a new classic for a new generation, a thrilling saga of courage and loyalty . The animals in this film were in no way harmed or mistreated , and all scenes in which they appeared were under strict supervision with utmost concern for their handling . Developed quite energetically , as the story is efficiently told and through its profound and wizened eyes . One thread that connects all the Lassie projects is Lassie herself . Every one of the long string of Lassie productions has featured a collie directly descended from the original canine star, a dog named Pal . The new film was made with a young collie , whose biggest challenges were in scenes caring sheep and swimming across a river on her way home . The impressive scenery , photography and music enhance the story of ¨Lassie¨ and its adventures , sufferings and adversities . The tale is treated in good sense and high sensibility ; environment , animals , landscapes combine to enhance the glories of nature , one of which , after all , is beauty . Glowing and glamorous cinematography by Kenneth MacMillan , though being necessary a right remastering . It was filmed on location in Hinton, Sandstone Falls, New River Gorge National River, West Virginia, and Tazewell County, Virginia . Sensitive as well as emotive musical score by Basil Poledouris . He was an excellent composer and author of masterpieces , he composed : ¨Robocop¨, ¨Conan the Barbarian¨ , and ¨Conan the destroyer¨, ¨Hunt for Red October¨ , ¨Flesh and Blood¨ , ¨Free Willy¨ , ¨Starship troopers¨ , among others . The music all plays with the soul , it is so delicately composed, performed, and chosen for the movie that it is worth seeing just to enjoy the soundtrack . The motion picture was professionally directed by Donald Petrie .Other films based on this famous novel starred by marvelous collie are the followings : the classic and original Lassie was first performed by a male collie named Pal and played Lassie in all of the early sound films such as ¨Lassie comes home¨ (1943) with Elizabeth Taylor , Roddy McDowall , Donald Crisp , Dame May Witty and Edmund Gwenn ; ¨Sons of Lassie¨ (1945) with Peter Lawford , Donald Crisp , June Lockhart and Nigel Bruce ; ¨Courage of Lassie¨ (1946) with Elizabeth Taylor , Frank Morgan , Tom Drake and Harry Davenport ; ¨Challenge to Lassie¨ with Edmund Gwenn , Donald Crisp , Geraldine Brooks and Reginald Owen . And subsequent follow-up played by Pal's descendants in the TV series and TV appearances and in most Lassie films since ¨Lassie's great adventure¨ (1963) with June Lockhart , Hugh Reilly , Jon Provost , Richard Kiel . And ¨Lassie¨(2005) by Charles Sturridge with John Lynch , Samantha Morton , Peter Dinklage , Peter O'Toole , Kelly Mcdonald , Robert Hardy , Edward Fox and John Standing .

As a fan of all things 'Lassie', I looked forward to watching this film in 1994, and at the end of it all, I regret to say that I was disappointed. I guess that I was expecting this film to be old-fashioned. However, this is a modern version of 'Lassie', and the children in this film enjoy the types of activities that children enjoy (at this time in 1994). Lassie is able to convert them, however, to a more old-fashioned and slower paced lifestyle. The film did little to engage me, and I do not think it worked well as a modern story. I cannot see older children wanting to see this film, and it seemed that is was targeted more to older children because of the age of the children in this film. If you want to watch a 'Lassie' film, then I suggest the classic 'Lassie Come Home' or watch the old series of 'Jeff's Collie' or 'Lassie'.

I really don't understand some of the negative reviews. What do people expect when they pick up a Lassie video? Yes, this one is admittedly formulaic: crisis looms - Lassie saves the day (repeatedly - it's like four or five of the TV episodes compressed into one movie. Maybe some people feel it's too simplistic, or that there's too much shaggy-haired heroism for one movie. But it's Lassie, for crying out loud! My four-year-old daughter loves it, as do her eight- and eleven-year-old cousins (a boy and a girl, respectively). Older kids would probably find it too schmaltzy, but for the younger ones (and for me, who can remember watching the TV series when I was a kid, and for my wife who's a sucker for schmaltz), it's great.

This movie was fun. I like Dogs, and I think this movie lived up to my expectations about what a Lassie movie should be. I watched it with my 8 year old sister who was very entertained by the whole thing. It's true, the plot is quite simple, and the sheep farming wasn't totally accurate, but overall, this movie which focuses on some young kids and of course, Lassie, is good for a night at home in your jammies. My parents were very happy when we picked this off the shelf at the video store. While my sister and I were very happy that Lassie was so beautiful, and that we had fun watching this movie together.