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Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Posted By: Efgrapha
Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988)
DVD9 | VIDEO_TS | NTSC, 16:9 (720x480) VBR | 02:05:48 | 6.62 Gb
Audio: English AC3 5.1 @ 448 Kbps/2.0 @ 192 Kbps; #2 French AC3 2.0 @ 192 Kbps;
Spanish 2.0 @ 192 Kbps | Subs: English HoH, Spanish
Genre: Adventure, Fanatsy, Drama

Though Willow was one of director Ron Howard's few box-office disappointments, it definitely deserves a second look. At once an epic celebration and a gentle spoof of the sword-and-sorcery genre, the film concerns the efforts by little person Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) to protect a sacred infant from the machinations of a wicked queen (Jean Marsh). One source book has assessed the picture as a combination of The Ten Commandments and Snow White. This is true enough, except that neither one of those properties offered such offbeat casting choices as Billy Barty and Jean Marsh. Executive producer George Lucas has (through the conduit of screenwriter Bob Dolman) added elements of his own Star Wars saga to the stew. The results are generally satisfactory, though the film is sometimes weighed down by too much plot, and the action sequences may not be suitable for very young children. Incidentally, this is the film where co-star Val Kilmer met his future wife Joanne Whalley

Synopsis by Hal Erickson, Allmovie.com

There's a double-edged sword that shows up when your childhood favorites are released on DVD. On one hand, you can't wait to add it to your collection. On the other, the movie rarely measures up to your recollections. Willow is not nearly as magical as I remember it, but it's colorful and exciting enough to please fans of Tolkien-inspired quest flicks.

A reluctant Nelwyn (small person) must set out on a perilous adventure to return a lost baby (very small person) to a Daikini (tall person). Not surprisingly, the quest turns out to be more trouble than expected, and the heroic Willow finds himself embroiled in a massive battle of good vs. evil. Sidekicks, monsters, pixies, wizards, warriors, magic spells and incredible escapes abound.

Willow is a casualty of the “I loved it when I was young” category of films. What seemed so entertaining and fun as a child now comes off mainly as silly and derivative. The special effects are beginning to look a bit antiquated, and the plot of Willow (now more than ever) seems like nothing more than a thinly-veiled take on Tolkein’s classic Lord of the Rings.

Willow could appeal only to those who love cheesy adventure movies. Like me. My DVD shelf has a special section that now holds Willow, The Princess Bride, Krull, Legend, The Beastmaster, and The Sword and the Sorcerer. Regardless of how familiar or unintentionally silly, I’ve always had a soft spot for the “quest flick”. Although Willow is certainly a sloppy and intermittently goofy flick, it still holds enough charm, excitement and good humor to please fans of this type of movie.

Diminutive actor Warwick Davis does a solid job playing the unlikely hero, and Val Kilmer (back before he turned into a miserable grump) has a whole lot of fun as a barbarian named Madmartigan. Director Ron Howard stages a few great chases and escapes, and there’s a cool dragon that shows up near the end. Some of the more entertaining moments are of the unintentional variety, particularly Jean Marsh’s scene-chewing turn as the evil Queen Bavmorda. All in all, Willow might not be a very good movie, but it’s often fun to watch…especially if you have a few kids in the house.

Review by Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

IMDB 7,2/10 from 69 284 users
Wiki

Director: Ron Howard

Writers: George Lucas (story), Bob Dolman (screenplay)

Cast: Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh and other

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up

Willow (1988) [25th Anniversary Edition DVD] Re-Up


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