Willow

 

We had a re-watch of Willow (1988, Directed by Ron Howard, staring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and others, including Billy Barty) last week. The movie has some weaknesses but it has a certain charm, its writer (George Lucas) borrowing from his Star Wars trilogy and blending in Arthurian and Tolkien elements.

In short, the story begins with a baby cast upon the waters and being discovered by some folks who are definitely not hobbits. I forget what they called themselves, but everyone else referred to them derogatorily as pecks. Willow's wife takes the child and that eventually brings bad tidings for the village, where Billy Barty is the resident magic man and from whom Willow seeks an apprenticeship.

  Willow is tasked with taking the baby to the crossroads to hand off to the first person he finds. 

As good or bad fortune would have it, Madmartigan is caged at the crossroads and takes the baby in return for his release from the cage. He's an obvious scoundrel and rumored to be a great swordsman. In desperation, Willow releases him and he takes the baby - only, of course, to lose her shortly thereafter. The vile Queen Bavmorda, a sorceress, needs this chosen child for some nefarious ritual and also to prevent her from overthrowing her.

Willow ends up with a wand and has to find another sorceress. He finds her and must use the wand to transform her back into human form. Several attempts at the task result in unsatisfactory results. They get the child back and join with Madmartigan along the way.

Captain Leroy of the South Essex Airk (Gavan O'Herlihy) also features in the heroic group that eventually has a big fight led by the queen's heavy-handed henchman. I forget his name. I call him Monkey Face Vader.

Trolls and a two-headed monster inadvertently created by Willow and his wand figure into the Fracas in the fortress. Not least among the evil queen's leaders is Sorsha.

She's not just girl power eye candy; she's the evil queen's daughter. However, it turns out that they're not very close, and she and Madmartigan work through some differences in time for the award ceremony at the close of the movie.

Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, there's a big final battle at Bavmorda's totally wicked pad and the heroes are in danger of being served at a huge luau, but some good magic prevails. The fight moves into Bavmorda's flat of iniquity. She has captured the chosen child and begins her unholy ritual. Willow and the good sorceress must save the day and, when all seems lost, Willow's own magical prowess must save the infant from sacrifice. 

Hanmartigan gets the princess and the young Peck-Jedi realizes his powers.

How would I rate this movie? The main weakness is the script. The story seemed a little off and the dialogue was often flat. However, the director and the actors save the piece from falling into the pit of 80s sword and sorcery drek. I give it 6.5 out of 10 monkey skulls.