Youngsters may enjoy pup of a movie

For all their extraordinary ability to carry on telepathic conversations, Chance, Sassy and Shadow aren't too astute about knowing the difference between a family vacation and a trip to the pound.

The three are, of course, the canine and feline stars of the popular 1993 Disney film "Homeward Bound," to which there was bound to be a sequel. And so there is: "Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco," which contrives to get the American bulldog Chance (voice by Michael J. Fox), golden retriever Shadow (Ralph Waite) and Himalayan cat Sassy (Sally Field) separated once more from the loving Seaver family, then imperiled, then reunited.

Though "Homeward Bound II" will likely appeal to younger kids, parents and older kids might zone out before the pets make it home.

Once lost in scenic San Francisco, the trio encounters one cartoonishly "dangerous" situation after another. A taste of real peril might have made the movie more interesting. Rated G

Pub Date: 3/08/96