Review of Willow (1988) by Sean L — 19 Nov 2015

I hadn't seen this in almost twenty years, and that's probably for the best. Since it's very clearly postured as a children's movie, I can't dock too many points if it's overly silly, hokey and naive, but I do suddenly feel quite sorry for dragging my folks out to see it all those summers ago.

Simply put, it's not one of those kid's movies that parents will be surprised to enjoy just as much as their little ones. Val Kilmer and Warwick Davis have a strange sort of charm that manages to shine through the wooden dialog and dated special effects, and the plot has the optimistic, adventurous core of a classic fairy tale, so it's not like there's a total lack of positives.

But it also borrows heavily from Tolkien, paling badly by comparison, and it pushes the limits of suspended disbelief too far on more than one occasion. George Lucas's influence is all over the screen, too, from the excessively playful tone to the heavy-handed wipe transitions and stiff, overly proper repartee.

If you've ever wondered what a Hobbit might look like on Middle Earth, this is your ticket.