Lady And The Tramp 2: Scamp’s Adventure Parent Guide

After meeting the young pups of the proud parents during the closing minutes of Disney’s Lady and the Tramp 1955 film, any fan could have predicted the little fellow who resembled Dad would be trouble. Although almost fifty years have past since our first introduction to these lovable characters, the magic of animation provides us the satisfaction of discovering we were right, by picking up the story a mere six months later.

Perhaps due to his genetic inheritance, Scamp (voiced by Scott Wolf) feels fenced in by the family rules. As the surrounding community gears up for an Independence Day celebration, the adolescent canine finds his personal independence leashed, as a reprimand for his wild behavior. With no sympathy from his totally domesticated father Tramp, the rebellious pup escapes his chain and runs off to join some junkyard dogs.

In the wake of typical cartoon slapstick violence, Scamp meets Buster (Chazz Palminteri), the leader of the pack. Capitalizing on Scamp’s desire for freedom and acceptance into their gang, Buster devises an initiation test that involves stealing and risking personal safety. So persuasive is the peer pressure that Scamp even ignores the disapproval and cautions of the charming mop-eared Angel (Alyssa Milano), a disenchanted pack member.

Meanwhile, the folks back home are worried about the runaway’s whereabouts. Their only hope is that Scamp’s experiences on the heartless streets will help him recognize the value of love and family.

This direct-to-home video release’s commendable effort to teach a positive moral is hampered by silly violent depictions, scary characters, and clich0xE9d dramatic scenes. The story also sends messages of simple solutions for problems, minimal consequences for actions and endorsement of revenge tactics. While the production team went to great lengths to match the original backgrounds and color schemes, Lady and the Tramp II lacks the depth and class of its earlier parent. Like the famous spaghetti scene in the original that this sequel tries to update, Lady has gone from fine fettuccini to canned pasta.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.