Willow

1988
PG
2h 6m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

132K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:23

Adventure Epic Dark Fantasy Epic Fantasy Epic Quest Sword & Sorcery Action Adventure Drama Fantasy

A young farmer is chosen to undertake a perilous journey in order to protect a special baby from an evil queen.A young farmer is chosen to undertake a perilous journey in order to protect a special baby from an evil queen.A young farmer is chosen to undertake a perilous journey in order to protect a special baby from an evil queen.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

132K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,233

462

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 2 Oscars
- 1 win & 13 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 1:23

Willow: Blu-Ray

Clip 0:50

Ron Howard Recalls Wild Parties on the Set of 'Willow'

Clip 0:50

Ron Howard Recalls Wild Parties on the Set of 'Willow'

Photos334

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
According to Warwick Davis, the film had the largest ever casting call for "little people" at the time. Between 225 and 240 actors were hired for the film.

Goofs
Just after Willow's wagon goes over the fallen tree during the cart chase, one of the horses steps on the tree and leaving an imprint showing that it is made of foam.

Quotes
Willow: What are you doing?
Madmartigan: I found some blackroot. She loves it.
Willow: Blackroot? I'm the father of two children, and you never, ever give a baby blackroot.
Madmartigan: Well my mother raised us on it. It's good for you! It put's hair on your chest, right Sticks?
Willow: Her name is not Sticks! She's Elora Danan, the future empress of Tir Asleen and the last thing she's gonna want is a hairy chest!

Crazy credits
Although he played the title role, Warwick Davis took just third billing. Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley took first and second billing respectively.

Alternate versions
In order to obtain a PG certificate by the BBFC in the UK, 34 seconds were edited for the theatrical version.
The boars killing the midwife early in the film was cut entirely.
The scene of Bavmorda turning people into pigs was toned down. One shot of Madmartigan's transformation was cut, and a shot of Sorsha collapsing to the ground was cut.
Also, during the fight at the castle towards the end, Willow zaps the troll with his wand, and 2 creatures emerge from its skin. In the UK version of this film, the bit where the creatures quickly rip the skin off of the troll is missing.
General Kael's stabbing of Airk was shortened.
Some of the bloodiest moments in the fight between Madmartigan and Kasel were cut. Also, cut was the second sword thrust into General Kael when Madmartigan steps on the sword and drives it through him.
Shots of Raziel punching Bavmorda in the face was cut and Bavmorda strangling Raziel was shortened.
The distributors also reduced the redness of the blood in some fight scenes and toned down certain sound effects. The film was only available in the UK in this censored form until 2002, when the BBFC passed the film uncut with a PG rating.

Connections
Edited from The Ewok Adventure (1984)

User reviews317

Review

Featured review

Watch this movie... You'll feel BETTER!!

(At least I do, every time I see it.) I first watched this movie a long time ago, and have seen it several more times over the years (it pops up on TV somewhat frequently). I have enjoyed it with each viewing, mainly because I just take it for what it is to me namely, just a fun, escapist fantasy flick that whisks you away to a magical kingdom where all kinds of mystical, cute, clever, and at times even sinister things are happening, all against a backdrop of remarkably beautiful scenery. Oh, yeah: you also get to see Val Kilmer (Madmartigan) step squarely into a fresh pile of troll poop truly a classic moment in cinema history!

I noticed that other reviewers herein went to great efforts to point out glaring similarities between Willow and Star Wars, and these similarities apparently ruined the movie for them (or at least, they just didn't *like* Willow). Well, to each their own As for me, I won't even begin to compare Willow to Star Wars, because: (drum roll please...) I've never even seen Star Wars. Not even once. So there!! ("You've never seen STAR WARS!!" I can hear the collective gasp of all you moviegoers out there. Yeah, okay, so just shoot me already!). But similarities shmimilarities! As Bill Murray said in Meatballs, "It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter! It just doesn't matter!..."

Anyway, if you haven't seen Willow, then I would recommend you see it at once and enjoy it for what it is: a fun, escapist fantasy movie that (heaven knows, current events and all...) we could all use a little more of in this day and age. If you have already seen it and love it, well, go see it again! And finally, if you have seen it but don't like it because of annoying similarities between it and Star Wars, well, what can I say? I would hazard that, all things considered, Willow nevertheless DOES have its own special charms that you probably won't find in Star Wars. At the very least I haven't heard that Madmartigan's counterpart in Star Wars, Han Solo, stepped in a big wet pile of troll poop!

Well, I'm glad I got all this off my chest. I feel BETTER!!