Willow

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Joseph D This one's from deep in my memory, it was crazy, & weird, & really entertaining, a great bit of childhood nostalgia. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/25/25 Full Review Matthew D A charming fantasy film with heart! Ron Howard's Willow (1988) is a brave and delightful fantasy film of remarkable craftsmanship with a few flaws here and there. Howard's direction is beautiful with gorgeous natural scenery that makes you instantly believe you are witnessing a fantasy world with the vast English, Welsh, and New Zealand backdrop. Peter Jackson must have drawn inspiration from Howard's intimate direction and sweeping grandeur for The Lord of the Rings. George Lucas's story is essentially a ripoff of The Lord of the Rings and The Dark Crystal, but with a few neat narrative twists. The writing is so sincere and tender, always grounded in character interactions, that you cannot help but be charmed by Willow's decency. It's really a story about finding confidence within yourself and doing the right thing. James Horner's score is a beautiful fantasy symphony of delightful whimsy and epic adventure. I can tell that Howard Shore heard James Horner's compositions for Willow before he composed The Lord of the Rings. Warwick Davis is the excellent unlikely hero Willow Ufgood. His genuinely emotional reactions to the world around are so realistic that you are constantly rooting for Davis. Davis proves his dramatic skill as an actor in that he is Willow's heart and soul. Val Kilmer is hilarious and righteous as the energetic swordsman and heartthrob Madmartigan. Joanne Whalley is the stunning Sorsha with her quick witted delivery and fierce stature as the daughter of the antagonist. Whalley is mesmerizing in Willow and enchanting as the strong heroine along with the likable love interest to Kilmer. Jean Marsh is great as the evil Queen Bavmorda. She is underutilized until the end, but she gives heinous spell casting and evil cackling a zealous madness. Now, after all the good and charm of Willow's wondrous cast and brilliant practical effects, it does feature some terrible choices. Namely, the two miniature friends that accompany Willow are so annoying and the special effects CGI looks terrible. The practical effects are still magical, but the spliced in characters look so fake. The annoying voices of the two friends are just awful and they ruin each scene they are in. Unfortunately, they are in far too many scenes. Some of the action choreography, while thrilling, is oddly awkward and aged poorly. The adventure and interactions are the highlight of Willow. The CGI people and goofy green screen moments are terrible and weigh Willow down unnecessarily. Ron Howard's Willow is a lovely little movie that will surely entertain anyone. Willow just needed to edit out some unnecessary extra characters. Howard's direction keeps you engaged and Warwick Davis is just captivating and endearing as the hero. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/08/25 Full Review Rebekah D RIP Val. This film was a staple of my pre-teen years and Val was part of my adolescent awakening. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/07/25 Full Review AD 3 As a kid it was great but man it's beyond bad as an adult, even annoying Rated 1/5 Stars •  Rated 1 out of 5 stars 04/06/25 Full Review Forrest S Fantasy epics don't get any better than this. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/02/25 Full Review Jessica D Definitely worth a watch. Some effects might be dated, but the soundtrack and sense of adventure is just amazing!! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/14/25 Full Review Read all reviews

Willow

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