Disney's Sequel Factory Does it Again!

I've been wanting to see Scamp's Adventure ever since it came out. Not that I was expecting a cinematic masterpiece, but I am very fond of the original and wanted to know what they would do with a sequel. Very few sequels actually live up to the originals, and this was not one of the exceptions to the rule. But it was good nonetheless, capturing the feel of the first one pretty well.

At the end of Lady and the Tramp, we see the happy family at Christmas with four puppies, one of whom has inherited all the traits of his father. That young upstart is the subject of this film. He's tired of being bossed and babied. "I wanna be wild and free!" he complains to his father, and to anyone else who will listen.

After being kicked out of the house for his shenanigans, forced to spend the day in the doghouse, he sees a gang of junkyard dogs fleeing from a dogcatcher who looks and sounds suspiciously like Don Knotts. I was most surprised to discover that it wasn't him, but his Knotts-like antics were some of the funniest moments in the film.

Breaking free of his chain, Scamp runs off to join the pack, not realizing that there's more to being a street dog than just goofing off all day. A tough little lady pup named Angel tries to convince him that he's not street dog material, but he won't be deterred. Upon his arrival at the junkyard, Scamp is greeted by Buster, the pack's leader, who tells him that he must pass a few tests in order to become part of the pack.

Meanwhile, Scamp's family searches frantically for him. Scamp is amazed to learn that his father was once the king of the junkyard, but he can't reveal that Tramp is his father or the old hatred which Buster harnesses will be unleashed on him. Angel confides to Scamp that she's been shuffled from family to family and wishes desperately for a home of her own. She is bewildered that Scamp is so ready to give up what she so greatly desires.

Scamp's secret can't stay a secret forever, and when Buster finds out he demands that Scamp prove his loyalty to the pack by stealing the picnic lunch which Jim, Darling, and Scamp's folks are sharing. Scamp will do anything to be part of the pack, but in the ensuing scenes he learns the true meaning of family and discovers that maybe Angel was right; maybe he's really not supposed to be a junkyard dog.

Scamp's Adventure is a cute movie which picks up where the first left off. I thought that they did a very good job matching the voices of Jock and Trusty, and a decent job on Lady. The others weren't all that similar. And what is it with these cartoons that have adults playing kids? Kinda like Stuart Little. Oh, well. There was also plenty of music in this movie, but none was particularly memorable. The end credits had a redone version of Bella Notte, and the rest of the movie was peppered with songs to fit the particular occasion. None were exactly Oscar material. Still, I enjoyed this movie and would certainly recommend renting it, especially if you're a fan of the first film. You'll be glad for the excuse to visit this charming canine family again.