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Willow (Special Edition)

Willow (Special Edition)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my faves!!
Review: This is one of the funnest movies I have ever seen. Val Kilmer's hero is witty, yet tender. Jean Marsh played an incredibly believable Queen Bavmorda. I thought Joanne Whalley was beautiful. Billy Barty's role was memorable too. I can't say enough good about this movie. I give it 5 stars!!!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Classic
Review: Willow is truely a classic. I remember watching it over and over growing up and am so glad to finally see it released on DVD. Some may call it cliched but it is truely a fairy tail that captures so many of the main threads of human mythology. Perhaps that is why it has such appeal.

The video and audio quality are wonderful. I don't care much for DVD extras (generally I just want the movie).

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Bad Movie
Review: It boggles the mind why so many people liked this movie so much. It has a small cast of one-dimensional characters, an overused storyline, bad acting, and laughable special effects. Don't watch it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Legend and Labyrinth were better.
Review: This movie was good. I liked the fantasy in it. It was casted well, such as Val Kilmer, who is a seriously underrated actor, and the sets were great. But the movie took too long to progress and it seemed like the movie went on longer than it really was. Legend and Labyrinth's stories seemed to move in a fast paste manner. Anoher problem was the story was hard to get into. There didn't seem to be anything interesting in the story. Good special effects. If you want a good fantasy flick besides Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings, I suggest Legend or Labyrinth.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointingly Fluffy
Review: The Story: A human baby, prophesied to be the downfall of the evil queen (Jean Marsh), is cast adrift to save its life ("Moses, Oh Moses!") and saved by a farmer, Willow (Warwick Davis), who wants to be a sorcerer. The evil queen sends her warrior daughter (Joanne Whalley) to find the child and bring it to her to sacrifice. Meanwhile, Willow meets a scoundrel-warrior (Val Kilmer, who is a farcical version of Harrison Ford's Han Solo), who volunteers/is coerced into helping Willow save the baby.

Commentary: I might have been suffering from inappropriate expectations here, but I was looking for epic fantasy and found epic farce. With the exception of Warwick Davis, most of the actors seem bent on creating flippant caricatures of what could have been noble roles in a noble story, especially Val Kilmer. The special effects aren't bad, the scenery is good, and the dragon is disgustingly scary (or frighteningly disgusting), but the story is simplistic and no one is taking anything seriously. However, it's not funny, either. Ho hum!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A good DVD version of a lukewarm film
Review: Willow is a pretty standard fantasy film, where the child/item/weapon of prophesy is threatened by the wicked queen, and must be protected by roguish or physically challenged heroes. If that sounds familiar, than you already know what Willow is about. If you've seen other George Lucas films (i.e. Star Wars and the Indiana Jones movies), then you've already seen this film in a different guise. That it's still fun and enjoyable to watch is a credit to the cinematography, the guys and gals at ILM, and the undeniable warmth and sincerity of Warrick Davis in the lead role.

There are a number of Lucasfilm hallmarks in Willow. First is the immersion into the fantasy world where everything makes perfect sense to the inhabitants of that world. Because the immersion is complete, we accept it without question. Second is the virtually non-stop action that is so entertaining. Finally, there's the music. While not scored by Lucas's normal collaborator, John Williams, he instead employs another veteran orchestral composer, James Horner. The music is a perfect compliment to the images, and you find yourself humming the themes after the film without having consciously noticed them while watching.

Unfortunately, there are a number of things that are disappointing about the film. Foremost is the story - it is too recycled from the SW and Indy movies, and is completely linear and repetative (baddies find heroes, they fight, heroes escape, repeat). The character Willow is in almost every scene, and nothing is developed outside that character (for instance, we never find out why Madmartigan is hanging in that prison cage). Also of concern is the performances - Ron Howard usually gets the best out of his actors, but other than Davis, the performances seem forced. This is especially the case in the contrived and sterile-feeling love story between Madmartigan and Sorsha, which is especially perplexing because the actors fell in love with each other on the set.

The DVD edition is quite good, although not up to the standard of SW I: The Phantom Menace. The commentary by Davis is very imformative. He gives insight into the actors playing various parts (including pointing out extras in his village played by his wife, father-in-law, and Kenny Baker), the locations, the effects, etc. There are 2 making-of features, the newer of which is fascinating. This was the first film to include the technique "morphing" (not the Abyss as many believe), and the feature producer includes interviews with the ILM people that came up with it and the filmakers who have used the technique (including Abyss and Terminator 2 director James Cameron).

Therefore, this is a good DVD for the cost. While I was disappointed in the film, it is a rousing adventure story that is enjoyable on that level.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Watch Willow Again and Again! There is always something new
Review: I love this movie. The DVD is great! Please note the brightness in the movie. Even the fight scene in the castle is filmed with quite a bit of light. You can tell a great director when they do not fear to film in daylight. Also, the dialogue is quick and funny. My kids were running around yelling "Willllowww" like the goat (sorceress.) This was a very good "hero" story. I also like the romance involved. It was very sweet. See, you don't need excess violence, mind blowing special effects and sex to sell a movie. Just a great director, great actors and a darn good screenplay! If you really want to know if a movie stands on its own two legs, close your eyes and actually listen to the dialogue. This is what makes movies great and memorable. The dialogue in this movie was hilarious and witty. Wish Lucas would remember this in his newer films, I think that is why his last Phantom Menace stunk! Wooden actors, wooden dialogue. I don't expect to much from "The clones" either. Just eye-candy and no meat. Maybe Lucas should team up with Ron Howard again to get a realty check! Make your characters likeable/dislikable by what they say, and you can see how people will truly "feel" for them and remember them! Bav Morda and Darth Vader truley wicked and memorable. That guy with the crayon marks on his face in phantom menace had no wicked/witty dialogue can't even remember him. This goes for the heroes too. Stupid directors think we are stupid just sitting there waiting fo another pop from a special effect. Sorry, it just is one of my pet peeves how directors have forgot the enchantment of the simple word.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the greatist George Lucas movies of all!
Review: From the creator of Star Wars comes Willow which does have some feeling to Star Wars, but is a lot more fun and appealing. The story starts off with the birth of an infant who will bring upon the downfall of an evil queen. When the queen learns of this prophecy, the baby is abandoned, and discovered by young Willow Ufgood(Warwick Davis), a farmer who is an inspiring sorcereer. With time running out, Willow must soon embark on a quest to protect the child from the queen. With the aid of a great swordsman(Val Kilmer), Willow races against time in this very appealing adventure for all ages. Granted the story does have some feeling of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, but the charm and appeal it has could be told none other than from George Lucas who is both a story-teller, and a old-fashioned movie buff! The movie also has the greatist James Horner(Titanic) musical score of all. A must for all fantasy or action buffs.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of my all time favorites!!
Review: I have been trying to buy this video for years! It was no where! Now that it's been rereleased some of the older copies seem to be available now! And I swooped in immediately and got a copy for myself! I have watched it at least 3 times since I bought it at the end of November. Still not tired of it. I keep thinking that I have seen it so I can sew or something while it's on. But no - I find myself just sitting there and marveling at the acting and the storyline and the music! I must say that this film could have been really bad - but instead (and I've watched it really close!) it's wonderful!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: very enjoyable
Review: A great little fantasy movie. A bit formulaic, perhaps, but most fantasy is. I was amazed at the baby's ability to display emotion -- fear, dread, puzzlement, wonder -- she could do it all. She is the secret star of this movie.


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