“Willow” is a nostalgia review for me. I loved it as a kid and watched my vhs taped copy dozens of times. Somewhere along the way I forgot all about it until a rewatch on Thanksgiving night.
Released in 1988, “Willow” is the brainchild of George Lucas – yes, the same George Lucas who made billions with his blockbuster “Star Wars” series, and was directed by the titan of film, Ron Howard. It stars Warwick Davis and Val Kilmer, and may be off your radar in terms of 80s era cult classics, but rest assured, it deserves equal praise with other fantasy tales like “The Dark Crystal,” and “The Neverending Story.”
Set in a magical realm akin to a “Game of Thrones” type world, the catalyst for the story immediately lets us know “Willow” isn’t quite as soft as “Return of the Jedi.” Queen Bavmorda is an evil sorceress who is rounding up pregnant women and executing their babies in effort to prevent a prophecy resulting in her demise from coming to fruition. The chosen baby is smuggled away from the onslaught, and set adrift down a river, where a simple farmer named Willow (Warwick Davis) and his children discover her.
It’s easy to root for the character of Willow, played by Davis, who is the co-founder of Little People UK, a charity that provides support to people with dwarfism and their families. He lives a simple but content life with his wife and children, and initially wants nothing to do with the “giant” baby they discover. “We’ll push it down stream and forget we ever saw it.” He states, hardly sounding like the hero one may expect. We learn that Willow is a wannabe sorcerer, and what he lacks in height he makes up for with heart, though is quite reticent to be a hero. “You need a warrior for job like this.” He pleads. “I’m a nobody!”
As is the case with any quest, an assortment of characters must be included in the mission – in this case – safely delivering the baby and defeating Queen Bavmorda. Willow is joined by a swashbuckling thief named Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), and two sometimes comical, sometimes annoying brownies (Kevin Pollak and Rick Overton). The queen’s beautiful daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) leads the enemy army in search of the baby. The chemistry amongst the cast, in particular Davis and Kilmer, works to really showcase their differences and eventual friendship with each other.
Like the “Star Wars” saga, there are some really great creatures included in the mix. The queen unleashes Death Dogs to track the baby and they are incredibly lifelike and terrifying in their appearance. And the two-headed monster that battles the characters at the castle towards the end of the movie is something only the mind of Lucas could conjure.
On a rewatch literally decades after seeing it, my only gripe comes with the length. Clocking in at 126 minutes, the film would have been perfect had a few scenes been snipped a touch. The battle at the end is far too long, and had the movie been edited down to 110 it would do wonders.
Nevertheless, “Willow” remains a truly enjoyable fantasy styled film, with memorable characters and a fun enchanted realm of magic with which it takes place.
