Review of Home on the Range (2004) by Jon T — 26 Jul 2008

HOME ON THE RANGE is rock-bottom Disney animation. It's amazing to believe the studio that produced memorable classics could turn out a movie as bad as this (yes, it's worse than HERCULES and TREASURE PLANET).

The wire-thin storyline, which involves barnyard animals on the trail of an outlaw who can hypnotize animals by singing (huh?) is needlessly stretched out for 76 minutes (which is 70 minutes too long) with forced, unfunny gags, frantic but lifeless sequences and lame characterizations.

The animation, usually a high point in a Disney feature, is both pedestrian and unappealing to look at. Alan Menken supplies the music, but like the movie, his tunes are banal, insepid, and unappealing.

Failed Disney cartoons don't have to be this horrific; case in point: THE BLACK CAULDRON and ATLANTIS both fell short financially and were flawed as films, but at least attempted to do something more complex and adult-oriented than typical Disney fare.

This film, on the other hand, is a big step backward, and the hectic, pedestrian execution ultimately cripples it. It's disheartening that this may be the last traditionally animated feature we may see from them, and even more unfortunate that they chose to go out with a flop as horrific as this.