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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Kids are supposed to have dogs...It helps them grow up right., 20 March 2005

Author: sol from Brooklyn NY USA

(Spoilers) Beautifully photographer, in and around the hills and woods of the state of Virgina, and wonderfully acted. This revival of the timeless story about the sensational sheepdog Lassie that never seems to lose it's charm and affection no matter how many times you see it.

The Turner family father Steve and his new wife Laura and two kids Matt & Jennifer, Jon Tenny Helen Slater Tom Gulry & Brittany Boyd, left the big city of Baltimore to go live and work as sheep farmers in the picturesque countryside of rural Virgina at the house that Steve's late wife Anna left him, come on to a tractor-trailer accident.

Waiting for the state troopers and local fire department to clear the wreckage this sweet and loving collie appears almost out of nowhere. With her master the trailer driver killed and now all alone she's looking for a new home and choose the Turner's as her new "best friends". At first trying to ignorer the cute canine the dog is so persistent, following the Turners on the highway for miles, that they decide to adopt her. It was the best decision that they ever made.

The movie "Lassie" grabs you right from the start and never lets go even after it's emotional and heart-stirring final that if your not in tears by then your just not human. Courageous and detected Lassie wins over everyone she comes in contact with: The Turners, especially young Matt, who at first tried to have nothing to do with the playful pooch. Lassie even wins over the Garlands, the father Sam and his two boys Josh & Jim (Frederic Forrest Clyton Barclay Jones & Charlie Hofhirner), who tried to kid-or dog-nap as well as shoot and kill Lassie. As she tried to keep them from stealing the Turner's flock of some 400 sheep. Young Josh was also angry, at the Turner's, because his girl April, Michelle Williams, left him and his self-indulging macho he-man act for the much more sweet and sensitive, as well as later brave, Matt Turner. The Turner's neighbors were also very bitter at the newcomers for taking over the rich grazing land, by putting a barb-wire fence across it, adjacent to the their farm, grazing land which in fact belonged to the Turners.

Lassie prevailed over all the perils that came before her. From a vicious dog-fight with a wild wolf who she saved Matt from being attacked and possibly killed. To a fast flowing and deadly white-water stream that Lassie saved both Matt as well as Josh who at first got into a fight with Matt over the stolen Turner sheep. That Josh and both his brother Tim and dad Sam Garland tried to commandeer away .

Lassie showed Matt that friendship is not like the CD's records and Walkman radios where you throw, or lock, them away and then buy new ones after you get tired with them; friendship is a life-long commitment. Matt who at first didn't want to move to the country, What No MTV!" saw what he missed in the clean fresh air and healthy environment of the Virgina farmlands. This while he was cooped up in the big city with nothing but rock, hard and soft, music and endless music videos to watch and waste his life, and hearing, away with. But most of all if he didn't move out to the country he never would have got to know and become a life-long friend, like everyone else in the movie, with Lassie.

5 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Good Doggie, 23 April 2003

Author: KangarooSally from Australia

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.

6 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
As for the Goof, 11 August 2006

Author: wcgardner from United States

As for the single "In My Life", I purchased all of the Beatles on 45 rpm and large record size singles in the 60s, I have it on both formats. So it is not a goof! There are songs and records issued in different formats for regional, different countries and specialized markets that are never released for most of the USA. The music is good, photography is excellent and rich is color, story extremely possible, locations were outstanding. Production gave a feeling that you were right there is the location and experiencing everything as it happened. My four year-old loved along with the rest of the family. It kept everybody attention. Overall an excellent family movie.

5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
A True Family Classic, 22 October 2004
Author: psush_girl (psushgirl@gmail.com) from Philadelphia, PA

This movie was one of my favorites when I was younger. I am now 21 years old and I still love it and watch it whenever it comes on cable. The original concept of Lassie never really appealed to me, I guess because it was slightly before my time. However, I thought this movie brought the spirit of the original Lassie to kids who never got to experience Lassie when it was at it's best.

The main actor Thomas Guiry, who played the troubled Matt Turner, truly carried this film. He was also quite fortunate to be surrounded by other great actors such as Michelle Williams and Charlie Hofheimer.

I really loved this story because it expressed the true values of family and unconditional love. I recommend this film to families, children, and adults alike. I still love this movie and probably always will. I give it a 9 out of 10.

6 out of 9 people found the following review useful:
A bit corny, but nice, 1 June 2006

Author: LoupGarouTFTs from United States

Yes, I'm a sap, but there were a couple of places where this movie really tugged at my heartstrings. There were some almost inevitable Lassie-type scenes, but it was fun getting to see Lassie act like a Collie for once.

One thing that I noticed missing from the credits was Robert Weatherwax's name. Without Robert Weatherwax's training, the amazing things that this Lassie does would not be possible. As a dog trainer myself, I recognize the difficulty that accompanies training dogs to do even simple behaviors, so I think that he should be acknowledged.

One thing that made me laugh, though, was the kid's comment about getting another kind of dog for sheep dog: a (German) Shepherd or EVEN A LAB. (Caps mine, from horrified amazement) If a Labrador retriever can herd, the canine star of this movie can give birth to puppies. I'm sure that the problem was that the writer didn't want to say "border COLLIE or Bearded COLLIE or Australian SHEPHERD, but why not "Corgi," or "Sheltie," or "Tervuren?" There's an entire Herding/Pastoral group out there, people! A Lab . . . *rolls eyes*

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
mostly for kids, 26 December 2000

Author: ender34

Tom Guiry is a nice kid and Lassie XXV (or whatever the current incarnation) is a beautiful dog. There is little else in this predictable plot or its dimensionless characters to interest anyone over the age of 10.

5 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
a major disappointment, 8 January 2006

Author: rebeljenn from Bath, England

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'.

6 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
Loved it!, 26 April 2004

Author: prairiedog5413 from Illinois, USA

If you can't stand wholesome family entertainment, you should probably stay away from this one. As to the comment that "This one should be stuck in the back of the doghouse", by another "reviewer", consider it it just someone's toxic two cents that should be ignored. It's not titillating, or gory, or intellectually challenging, but it wasn't meant to be - it's a movie for kids.

It's a story about a boy and a dog, and it's done well. One should expect a bit of sentimentality in a movie called "Lassie", and it's appropriately there. It's uplifting and heartwarming (God forbid!). The scenery was great, as was the soundtrack. Mr. Guiry did a fine job as Matt, and Lassie was, of course, awesome.

6 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
New Updated Version Is Great!!, 30 March 1999

Author: Dave Rowland from Markham, Ontario

This latest version of the classic collie, should please people of all ages.It is a great family film, the scenery is beautiful & the story was well written & directed. "Lassie" will always live on throughout each generation, and this current one is proof of that.

2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
A satisfying movie adaptation of the legendary Lassie, 7 August 2010

Author: Atreyu_II from The world of artists

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I'm not sure how many "Lassie" films exist. I've seen the 2005 version once, but I disliked it. This 1994 version, while imperfect, is however a satisfying one. It doesn't have many similarities with the famous TV show. They were made in very different times. The TV series has the feeling of its era, as well as this movie version has a typically 90's feel to it (well, it was made in the 90's!). But still, this motion picture preserves some of the popular TV show's spirit. This movie brings a 50's legend to the 90's and updates it.

The dog that portrays Lassie is, of course, a great four-legged actor, being the Lassie of always: very elegant and beautiful, owner of an exceptional intelligence, heroic and very friendly with everything and everyone. Tom Guiry has a winning performance as Matt.

Matt is, at first, a spoiled and rebel teenager in every way and as such his interests are very specific. But once he starts changing, he changes radically his attitude and learns to appreciate the most beautiful things in life. And all of this after Lassie "stealing" his headphones, forcing him to chase her until a swimming hole (complete with a tree rope).

Now a personal observation and comparison: just like in Disney's 'Old Yeller' the character Travis isn't minimally interested in the dog at first but ends up becoming more attached to it than anyone else, the same happens in this film to Matt on Lassie.

Lassie, as always, senses and responds to dangers as they occur. In this movie there is a scene that particularly fits this description: when Lassie saves Matt from a fierce wolf.

The movie also has beautiful settings and landscapes (typically country scenario) that only make it better.

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