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Willow Details

1988 Certificate PG
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 13,268 members

Based on a story by STAR WARS creator George Lucas, WILLOW is director Ron Howard's fantasy world of medieval adventure. WILLOW stars Val Kilmer as Madmartigan, a swashbuckling warrior, and Warwick Davis as the title character. In a mythical kingdom, the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) plots to kill all infants so .. Read more

Starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Billy Barty
Director Ron Howard
Genres Sci-Fi/Fantasy

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Willow

Based on a story by STAR WARS creator George Lucas, WILLOW is director Ron Howard's fantasy world of medieval adventure. WILLOW stars Val Kilmer as Madmartigan, a swashbuckling warrior, and Warwick Davis as the title character. In a mythical kingdom, the evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) plots to kill all infants so that the newborn princess, Elora, will never take over the throne. But a midwife sets the baby adrift in a river, and she is rescued by Willow (Warwick Davis), a farmer in Nelwyn, a peaceful village of trolls, fairies, and little folk. Willow and Madmartigan begin a quest to deliver the baby from evil while being chased by Queen Bavmorda's daughter, Sorsha (Joanne Whalley), sent to bring the baby back to Nockmaar. Director Howard benefited from his affiliation with George Lucas on the film--Lucas's company, Industrial Light and Magic, contributed the Oscar-nominated special effects. Lucas, the executive producer of WILLOW, went on to create a series of books based on the world of WILLOW, the SHADOW WAR series.

Starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Billy Barty, Jean Marsh, Patricia Hayes, Pat Roach, Kevin Pollak
Director Ron Howard
Studio 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 2 hrs
Certificate Certificate PG
Collections 100 Big Adventures
Genres Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Language DVD: English
Hearing-impaired English
Subtitles DVD: Danish, English, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Released DVD: 05 Aug 2002
Production year: 1988
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of Willow

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  • 2 stars out of 5

    Despite the input of Star Wars guru George Lucas, this is a rare misfire from Ron Howard, the hit director of Parenthood, Apollo 13 and A Beautiful Mind. It's more Wallow than Willow as the former Happy Days star takes too long mating the Saturday-morning-pictures wonderment of Raiders with the Tolkienesque elfin-twaddle of Lord Of The Rings. It's forced, formulaic and sadly lacking in that sense of magic that's at the root of all successful fantasy. Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley star in a tale about a baby whose safekeeping will overthrow an evil empire, but they never look comfortable in their roles.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Spectacular jaunt around familiar material, plundered from mythology, fairy-tales and old movies, that relies on special effects to maintain interest.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of Willow

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  • 11 out of 11 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Brilliant

    Fun! Interesting! Funny! Did I mention fun? Nothing came between Willow and the Lord Of The Rings in terms of GOOD fantasy movies. Willow is up to this day a very fun and interesting story, brilliantly told with lush landscapes, funny characters and a very interesting and unique storyline.

    A must for any fan of fantasy!

      • Skavoovee from London
      • Posted 20 Jul 2004 09:35

  • Most recent members' review of Willow

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A Great Film

    I saw this film just after it's first release, and had forgotten just how good it is.

    If it is compared to similar modern films, then it falls short in the special effects line, but as a family film that shows just how love can overcome obstacles, it is a five-star winner!

      • Katy from Wales
      • Posted 15 Aug 2007 unknown

  • News and features

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    Poltergeist

    Bush honours SFX

    • 15 Feb 2006

    Special effects firm Industrial Light Magic (ILM), founded by George Lucas, has been honoured by the US president George Bush. The company received the National Medal of Technology at a ceremony at the White House in recognition of its work in visual effects. Lucas, director of Star Wars and American Graffiti and producer of Labyrinth, Willow and Raiders Of The Lost Ark, was on hand to receive the medal. The long list of films ILM has been involved in since its establishment in 1977 tells of... Read more

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Rating breakdown

13,268 Member ratings
  • 100
1,606
  • 90
1,170
  • 80
2,620
  • 70
2,457
  • 60
2,421
  • 50
1,238
  • 40
785
  • 30
460
  • 20
353
  • 10
158

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      • Based on a story by STAR WARS creator George Lucas, WILLOW is director Ron Howard's fantasy world of medieval adventure. WILLOW stars Val Kilmer as Madmartigan, a swashbuckling warrior, and Warwick ...