Willow Review

MPAA Rating: PG
Released: 1988

Willow is a fantastical tale of a dwarfish hero that must risk his life to protect a baby princess from the wrath of an evil queen. Filled with charismatic characters, gorgeous backdrops and plenty of swordplay and magic, this is a must-see fantasy epic that is perfect for the entire family.

A child is born, her birth foretold in ancient prophecy. The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) is none too happy about this birth, for the special child will eventually signal the end of her reign. In order to prevent the prophecy from coming to pass, she attempts to perform a vile ritual that will banish the child to another dimension, but thanks to the kindness of a handmaiden the baby escapes the clutches of the evil queen… for the time being.

Soon Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) and his family, members of a dwarfish race called the Nelwyn, stumble across the unprotected child, and Willow is reluctant to have anything to do with this foreign child of another race, he grows acclimated to her and sets out on a journey to bring her to safety.

Willow's adventure will be fraught with danger, for the queen sent out two of her elite commanders to retrieve the child: her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and General Kael (Pat Roach). In addition to eluding the queen's army, Willow will face all manners of mysterious and magical creatures, from the diminutive Brownies to a fierce dragon. Luckily he must not face these obstacles alone, for during his journey Willow meets up with Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), an honorable master swordsman buried within the façade of a rogue.

Clocking in at a generous 130 minutes, it wouldn't be far-fetched to define this two-hour plus movie as epic. Everything from the production values to the storyline shouts quality and attention to detail. Perhaps this should come as no surprise since George Lucas (Star Wars) was the writer and Ron Howard was the director. Both of these gifted individuals have proven their ability time and time again in Hollywood.

Warwick Davis played the role of the peaceful Nelwyn very well; he lent the character a believability and sincerity that helps the viewer identify with Willow and cheer him on during the adventure. But as good as Davis was, it's Val Kilmer as the mischievous swordsman Madmartigan that steals the show. He provides healthy doses of lighthearted humor and exciting swordplay throughout the film.

Comparisons to Tolkien's works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are perhaps somewhat inevitable, particularly since the main protagonists of each are unlikely heroes of small stature that make up for their minimal size with their courage and heart. Such comparisons are easy to make at first glance, but Willow has its own story to tell; the only similarities the two stories share is the fantasy genre itself.

Somehow Willow was one of those films that I managed to miss when I was younger, so when I decided to experience it recently I was a bit concerned that it would be too childish for my tastes now. Luckily for me, I was mistaken. As with Tolkien's work, many of the heroes are "cute" and would appeal to children, yet underneath the child-friendly exterior lies a detailed story that can also capture the attention of adults. Willow is undoubtedly a great film for the entire family, but it's also more than satisfying for individuals of any age that want to immerse themselves into a magical adventure.

The 80's were a great decade for all sorts of family films, whether they were adult-oriented sword-and-sorcery flicks such as Conan the Barbarian or family-friendly fare such as this movie. But even when compared to some of the other great 80's fantasy films, Willow ranks towards the top of the list. It just doesn't get much better than Willow if you're in the mood for an action-packed feel-good fantasy adventure.

Movie rating: 9 stars

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