Willow

Starring: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Billy Barty, Jean Marsh, Kevin Pollack
Directed by: Ron Howard
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action
1988

Times Seen:
Tim: 3

Summary: A tiny villager (Warwick Davis) reluctantly travels to save a human baby from an evil sorcerer (Jean Marsh) who is bent on destroying her. self-serving warrior (Val Kilmer) joins in the quest.

Review:

Tim: It is amusing to me that a fantasy epic made in the 80s (even the late 80s) isn't completely cheesy. Sure, it is dated and the special effects are a bit weak, but the film is more convincing and entertaining than you'd anticipate. The story is endearing, as a ecclectic group of people work together to save a baby from an evil Sorceress. This cast of characters is the film's strongpoint. Warwick Davis is simply incredible as the titular hero. Val Kilmer steals every scene he is in, with his quick humor, swordfighting skills, and overall charm. He is truly entertaining to watch and infuses the film with so much energy. Surprisinglyt, the rest of the cast is equally as good.

Fantasy epics have always provided a perfect medium to tell wonderful stories (even before The Lord of the Rings trilogy). While this film may seem small in comparison, it has a great deal of heart. It is a much more sprawling adventure than many people realize and infinitely more fun than many films rolled out of Hollywood. It is a tribute to director Ron Howard of how well this film has held up, even after a considerable amount of time has passed and technology has improved in leaps and bounds. Willow succeeds because it tells an interesting story with a cast that most definitely had great fun making this movie.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, The Village