Review of The Courage of Kavik, the Wolf Dog

Whether or not you're familiar with KAVIK THE WOLF DOG, you will know that John Candy makes an appearance starting at the Gulf station (the video box fails to mention his name!). Still, this is a mighty rare "family" movie, but even the rarest of the rare can have the hiccups. The story involves a twelve-year old boy who finds and cares for a prize-winning companion. Redeemed by a life-death learning situation, a couple of miracles, and a dealing with loss, the movie suddenly gets into a flat sheet of frozen ice. Is this the next excuse for another WILD AMERICA episode with Marty Stouffer, or is it the director's fault? The midsection is a terrible embarrassment for the heartwarming and gentle story that teaches a lesson. It feels like you're at the drive-in theater, which was a host to several cheap wilderness flicks. This is exactly one of them, but check this out only if you like John Candy to appear in something different rather than comedies.