Metacritic reviews

There is nothing pretentious or particularly ambitious about Where the Red Fern Grows, but it is a nice film about a boy and his dogs in a peaceful time long ago. [17 Mar 1985, p.28]

A syrupy kids' yarn from former Disney animal-movie specialist Tokar, backed by appropriate soundtrack odes from the Osmonds and Andy Williams.

Where the Red Fern Grows is quite possibly the saddest, most purposefully depressing movie (and book) we’ve ever experienced.

Competently made but highly contrived so as to evoke as many "aw's" as possible in an hour and a half, this movie is only for the extremely naive.