Release Date: April 2, 2004
Watch Date: June 21 – June 23, 2023
“When a greedy outlaw schemes to take possession of the ‘Patch of Heaven’ dairy farm, three determined cows, a karate-kicking stallion named Buck, and a colorful corral of critters join forces to save their home. The stakes are sky-high as this unlikely animal alliance risks their hides and matches wits with a mysterious band of bad guys.”
I did not watch this film growing up, it tends to fall – for most people – into an era of Disney films that some would rather forget. When the 2D animation sector lost it’s magic, and we were leaning more to the beauty Pixar’s innovative 3D animation was showing us. But Bob watched this. Bob watched this a lot. Mostly with his dad. He owns the DVD – to demonstrate just how old we are. Bob loves this movie, and so it was a special experience for him to finally share it with me.
Having watched it for only the second time in my life, I can honestly say that this movie probably deserves more recognition than it gets. Now, is it a hidden masterpiece like ‘The Hunchback of Notre-Dame’? Not a chance. But it is a fun family film, with a nice message about accepting people completely for their flaws, and about creating a family and protecting it.
Now, is the plot a little simple? A guy steals cows by yodeling, the farm is bankrupt, the cattle rustler’s bounty happens to be the exact amount needed to save the farm, and the cows go after the cattle rustler in order to collect the bounty. Okay. Maybe it’s a little convoluted, but I promise you everything makes cohesive sense, as point A leads to point B and so on and so forth.
The inclusion of Roseanne brings this movie down a little bit for me – not to make this political, but I don’t really agree with any of her views? She didn’t express them as much back when this film was created, but man has she expressed them now and her voice is so recognizeable that I can’t help but be a little bit put off the whole time.
The songs aren’t really memorable, but they are enjoyable in the moment. The animation is clean, and the characters are fairly one dimensional but stay within their well-defined lines, which isn’t really a bad thing. It’s clear who they are and what their goals are. Really, it all feels like it’s meant for a younger audience than most Disney movies – but there’s nothing wrong with that. Younger kids need movies, too.
But, look, this movie – or at least the experience of watching this movie – was about more than the movie. It was about my husband sharing an experience with me, about him watching something that he hasn’t watched since he was last able to with his biological father, an experience that doesn’t come around too often. It was about him trusting me and letting me in. It’s never ceases to amaze me how Disney can connect to memories and important relationships. How this brand has become more than what it is, becoming an important part of the fabric of society, something that connects us and keeps us together. You can tell a lot about a person from what Disney movies they love and what characters they relate to. It’s special, and I love it when we watch the movies that remind me of that fact.
Doc and Bob's Disney Adventure 
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