`Far' needs more than cute canine

Special to The Journal

IN "Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog," a 14-year-old boy and his yellow Labrador retriever find themselves stranded in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest after a boating accident separates them from the boy's father.

This is the kind of outdoor family adventure Rin Tin Tin might have made back during the silent movie era. The only difference is that the Rin Tin Tin picture would have been a great deal more suspenseful and entertaining than this new boy/dog story.

"Far From Home" runs less than 80 minutes but doesn't seem to know how to best fill them. Once young Angus (Jesse Bradford, the star of Steven Soderbergh's "King of the Hill") and his dog, Yellow, are forced to fend for themselves, writer-director Philip Boros doesn't give them very much to do.

Angus tries to keep them both alive by finding animals, bugs and worms to eat. Yellow has a few run-ins with wolves and a mountain cat. We never doubt for an instant that the resourceful Angus and his lovable dog will pull through their ordeal.

Director Boros pads the story with picturesque aerial photography of the wilderness and many scenes of Angus's parents (underused Mimi Rogers and Bruce Davison) fretting about their son's disappearance. Perhaps an element of suspense could have been introduced if only the characters didn't keep saying things like "Don't worry, we'll find him." Angus doesn't help matters by frequently assuring his dog that they will survive the inconvenience.

"Far From Home" is doubly disappointing because its director gave us the charming art house favorite, "The Grey Fox," back in the early 1980s. Had Boros bothered to take a more dignified and artistic approach to his story, he could have elevated it to the visual poetry of "The Black Stallion," which also dealt with human-animal survival themes.

Instead, "Far From Home" wants to be a Disney movie but without the necessary emotional hooks needed to make it work on such a level. Bombastic music and an admittedly appealing canine aren't nearly enough to do the job.

Although rated PG, there is nothing in "Far From Home" that would not pass in a G-rated film. NOTE -- Please place a at the end of the reverse text Cast and Credits

Far From Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog ** Cast: Jesse Bradford as Angus McCormick, Bruce Davison as John McCormick, Mimi Rogers as Katherine McCormick.

Behind the Scenes: Philip Boros, writer/director; Peter O'Brian, producer; James Gardner, cinematographer; John Scott, composer.

Rating: PG

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