Warwick Davis

Val Kilmer

Joanne Whalley

Jean Marsh

Patricia Hayes

Billy Barty

Pat Roach

Gavan O'Herlihy

David Steinberg

Phil Fondacaro

Mark Northover

Tony Cox

Kevin Pollak

Rick Overton

Maria Holvoe

Julie Peters

Dawn Downing

Mark Vande Brake

Zulema Dene

Ruth Greenfield

Kate Greenfield

Kenny Baker

Ashley C. Williams

Michael Cotterill

Joanna Dickens

Jennifer Guy

Ron Tarr

Jack Purvis

Sallyanne Law

Robert Gillibrand

Fred Wood

Gerald Staddon

David Sibley

Craig Salisbury

Bob Ramsey

Nosher Powell

Greg Powell

Nathan Phillips

Stéphanie Lhorset

Arnold Lee

Cheryl Howard

Andrew Herd

Raymond Griffiths

Owain Griffiths

Rusty Goffe

John Ghavan

Valerie Gale

Margarita Farrell

Malcolm Dixon

Samantha Davis

Kim Davis

John Cumming

Gerry Crampton

Sadie Corre

Willie Coppen

Kenneth Coombs

Peter Burroughs

Hayley Burroughs

Alan Bennett

Michael Henbury Ballan

Edwin Alofs

Paul Markham

Adrian Biddle

Richard Hiscott

George Lucas

Tony Reading

Kim Sinclair

Jim Pohl

James Horner

Mike Hill

Malcolm Stone

Bob Dolman

Janet Hirshenson

Daniel P. Hanley

Jane Jenkins

Allan Cameron

Joe Johnston

Barbara Lane

Ron Howard

Nigel Wooll

Tim Hutchinson

Catherine Madigan

Mike Potter

Jean Giraud

Ken Baker

Phil Tippett

Paul Grant

Steven E. Anderson

Joan Carpenter

Ben Burtt

Alan Boyle

Nick Dudman

Keith Short

C.J. Appel

Mike Fuller

Amanda Knight

Eddie Knight

Teresa Eckton

David R. Hardberger

Martin Hume

Brian Muir

Eithné Fennel

John Allenby

Keith Hamshere

Tommie Manderson

Barbara Ritchie

Sandina Bailo-Lape

Douglas Kirkland

Kathy Sykes

Shaun O'Dell

Rosemary Burrows

Ned Gorman

Steve R. Moore

Janet Healy

Jim Henrikson

Eleanor Fazan

Sally Jones

Jack Cooper

Derek Ware

Richard Graydon

Michael D. Moore

Roy Scammell

Vicki Deason

Michael Silvers

Karen Spangenberg

E. Larry Oatfield

Eddie Powell

Chris Lyons

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Willow

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Lucasfilm Ltd.

Imagine Entertainment

United States of America

English

日本語

mission

hero

baby

monster

magic

prophecy

falsely accused

traitor

queen

animal attack

castle

sorcerer's apprentice

black magic

sword and sorcery

CinemaSerf

Warwick Davis is great in this fantasy as the eponymous fellow charged with keeping a young baby from the evil clutches of the wicked queen "Bavmorda" (Jean Marsh). It has been foretold that this youngster will prove to be the undoing of the reign of terror that has permeated the land, and so this task is going to be perilous to say the least. Arriving at the crossroads, his townsfolk friends decide to abandon him and his quest but fortunately he has recourse to the trapped "Madmartigan" (Val Kilmer) who has been caged up and left to die. Pursued by the queen's battle-hardened daughter "Sorsha" (Joanne Whalley) and her henchman "Kael" (Pat Roach) what now ensues is a grand spectacle of high adventure that features some inspired special effects, a good solid story and some equally engaging characterisations that deliver a traditional good vs. evil scenario. I always support the baddies in movies, and here was no different - but I was very nearly tempted by the courage and decency of "Willow" to switch sides. Kilmer is on good form, his role allows him to flourish with some witty dialogue and plenty of swash and buckle as the denouement - and a magical one at that - looms large. Ron Howard and George Lucas have let their imagination take control here, and I felt it worked rather well. The photography and action scenes work well, and though maybe the story is a bit of an hybrid of others, it still doesn't stop this being an enjoyable David and Goliath style battle that is peppered with some strong supporting performances, some familiar faces and , I think, gets better with age.

Filipe Manuel Neto

**Warwick Davis' life movie isn't bad, but it's not really good either.**

Fantasy cinema has experienced moments of brilliance thanks to the creativity of a good number of directors and screenwriters, and also due to the possibilities brought by technology. However, in the past, things were simpler: directors and technical teams of fantasy films were those people used to improvising a lot and thinking outside the box. That skill is a talent, surely, and sometimes it's preferable to do something more traditional than to use CGI resources so absurdly fake that they don't even deserve to be there. This film, despite being far from being good or deserving a praise, is not a waste of time and there are several details where we can observe redeeming qualities.

The film's value begins with the more or less direct involvement of several prominent people in the film industry at the time: a film written by George Lucas and directed by Ron Howard cannot properly be considered a B-movie. Howard directs impeccably, but the truth is that Lucas could have made an additional effort in the script: the story that guides the film is funny, it has good moments, but it is also full of clichés and strange little peculiarities that do not fail to lift us up doubts every moment.

Despite the projection given to Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley in advertising (it is an understandable maneuver since they are well-known actors), the real protagonist is the dwarf Warwick Davis. Yes, it's not a pristine performance worthy of an award, but he couldn't be much better: the actor was still young and inexperienced, but he managed to show talent and resoluteness, making the most of this beautiful opportunity that appeared in his life. Val Kilmer, although more famous, doesn't need to do much and has few real challenges, while the beautiful Whalley and Jean Marsh are authentic attention grabbers and do an equally satisfying job.

Technically, it is a film whose value lies in the very well-designed sets and costumes, and also in the soundtrack, skilfully composed but a little forgettable. It has several special effects, most of them quite dated, but functional. The problem is that, for a film of the fantasy genre, it ends up having a little less "magic" than would be desirable. And despite the story being a little convoluted, the film picks up a high enough pace that this ends up not being a problem.

After watching the film "Willow" for the first time, it was perceived as a corny yet lovable movie with entertaining moments, albeit with cheesy and lacking depth. While the film has its charm, it may not be one that warrants repeat viewings, as it falls short in terms of overall enjoyment. The storytelling and character development were deemed subpar, failing to create an enchanting or immersive experience as initially anticipated.

Despite "Willow" becoming a cult classic, it ultimately fell into the category of films that are predominantly corny and cheesy. The television series that attempted to capitalize on the movie's cult status failed to live up to expectations, leading to its cancellation after one season. The series struggled to capture the essence of the original film, resulting in a lackluster and unengaging viewing experience.

In conclusion, both the movie and the television series based on "Willow" failed to leave a lasting impact and were ultimately deemed uninspiring and difficult to follow. While the film may have its moments, it may not be enough to warrant a recommendation for viewers looking for a captivating and enjoyable cinematic or television experience.

Willow Blu-ray TRAILER 1 (2012) - George Lucas, Ron Howard Movie HD

Willow Official Trailer #2 - Val Kilmer, Warwick Davis Movie (1988) HD

Willow (1988) - Trailer

Willow( 1988)

A world where heroes come in all sizes and adventure is the greatest magic of all.

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A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Fri Apr 21 2023

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