The first of 3 episodes that follow the adventures and misadventures of the Robinson family, which consists of father Skip, mother Pat, 11 year old Jenny, 5 year old Toby, and Labrador Crust(strange name). In addition, mountain man Boomer and his mule are occasional guests in this and subsequent episodes. Some reviewers label Boomer as creepy. I didn't get that impression at all. Rather he comes across as a knowledgeable grandfather, who probably likes animals better than most people. Some reviewers complain that these episodes have little or no plot. Well, there are so many interesting things happening, that you don't need a complicated plot. The same is true of certain raucous comedies and some musicals. As in the other episodes, there is an alteration between disasters or fights, and periods of play and glee: a good format. I enjoyed the film for the most part. The shots of wild animals and the fights with some of these are spectacular. However, they didn't bring that much equipment and supplies with them, so I have to wonder where they got all that food and equipment ?Skip seems to have great familiarity with wilderness living. He seems indestructible, and brushes off any disasters or fights with animals as nothing to worry about. In contrast, Pat is often stressed out after a negative experience, and sometimes cries. Canine Crust saves or helps save the situation numerous times throughout the series.The family gradually adopts several animals as pets, beginning with a nosy raccoon. Soon, they are feeding 2 small bear cubs, whose mother can't be found. The kids discover a pair of cougar kittens which follow them home. Skip takes these back to where they were found, and has a fight with the mother, Skip aided by Crust.Crust has a fight with a bear, then 3 wolves at once, and miraculously survives these with only minor wounds. Skip scares the wolves away with several shots in the air. Apparently, he didn't want to kill them unless absolutely necessary.They make a pet of a friendly adult bear, but another bear: "(3- toes") terrorizes them. Maybe he's mad because he lost 2 toes escaping from a trap.Skip and Toby are nearly crushed by a boulder slide. Then, Skip's canoe capsizes when he's going to find a doctor, when Jenny runs a fever. If you or your kids enjoyed this film, you might check out "The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family"(Part 2), and/or "The Mountain Family Robinson"(Part 3). Yes, there is much overlap in what you will see, but each has some unique happenings, as well.

First off, I am very fond of these movies. They remind me of my childhood and how much I love the outdoors. These movies aren't stellar, Oscar types, but, hey, they work when you want young children to see different animals and people who want a better quality of life. Although the action scenes may startle young ones ( they probably WON'T with all the stuff they see in the "movies" today). And, yes, the movies DON'T show all the important stuff (like how they knew how to build a cabin, etc) but it's a MOVIE, not REAL LIFE. If you want REALITY, I would strongly suggest you watch PBS's "Frontier House". That was GREAT and it CHALLENGED 3 families to live an 1883 lifestyle. No easy way out here, folks! These people were REALLY doing it. Otherwise, I will ALWAYS cherish these movies and when I have children of my own, share them with them.

So many bad reviews! Why? I loved this as a kid-OK so maybe now it's not my favorite but being that this movie stayed with me as a kid and helped fuel my interest in movies I'd say there was plenty of good to this.What I liked best about it was the adventure. In these times, a movie like this would never be made at all, or at least not without computer generated monsters chasing the family and lots of car chases. The best thing about this movie is it's earthiness and tranquility. The feeling of being in the middle of nowhere-I can appreciate all types of environments but there is something so beautiful about being in the country when it's perfectly still with just yourself and the environment. In this movie that feeling is created beautifully, it touches the nature and quiet, country feeling. The scenery and country feeling created is beautiful.It is also not boring at all as this family struggles to make it out in the middle of nowhere.Lots of wildlife and lots of Action packed adventure.Lots of adversities to overcome. And as mentioned, the cinematography is great-you'll feel like your out there in the wilderness too!I'm not saying this is the best movie in the world-but for those who can appreciate a story revolving around a family and their struggles out in the wilderness it's great. I was enamored as a kid. I wanted to be out there with them! I think this is a good movie and would give it at least an 8. Of coarse it wont appeal to everyone but shouldn't be forgotten either.

The kids will enjoy this enough, but parents beware! This will be a difficult two hours. The cinematography is passable, it's just the dialog and the acting that make this movie tough to tolerate. The family -- the father, really -- grows tired of the big city, so he decides to lug his family into some beyond-isolated mountain valley. How the actual decision to leave is made is just annoyingly laughable.The credits base the story on actual events, but given the range of things they throw at you, you wonder just how much artistic license the film takes. How many times can you be attacked by a bear and not figure out something is wrong? If you are watching the movie via VCR, DVR or DVD, slow-mo on the window during the bear-attacks-the-cabin scene and you'll see a man in a really bad bear costume.The film meanders from plot twist to plot twist without any real direction and by the time you've made it through the fourth or the fifth twist, you begin to hope it ends soon. But it doesn't.I remember seeing this movie on TV when I was a kid, and I am sorry I saw it again. You just don't watch a movie with a critical eye when you're 7. Unfortunately it didn't live up to the memories.