Free Willy

1993 • 111 minutes

About this movie

Two worlds separated by water and land magically come together in this heartwarming, stand-up-and-cheer adventure about the friendship between a troubled young boy and a 7000 pound orca whale named Willy, the star attraction at a local adventure park. When the boy learns of the unfortunate plans the park has for his friend, he races against time to return Willy to his natural habitat. Directed by Emmy-winner Simon Wincer ("Lonesome Dove") and co-starring Lori Petty ("A League of Their Own," "Poetic Justice") and Michael Madsen ("Thelma & Louise," "The Doors"). The #2 family hit of the year -- $77,000,000 boxoffice! -- The Los Angeles Times says "There"s a sincerity to this movie, a power and spread to its imagery that...captures honestly a sense of the wonders of nature." MPAA Rating: Rated PG for some mild language © 1993 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved

Ratings and reviews

Its kind of cute, if not unrealistic. Gives you a false perception of how aquatic parks work and makes releasing captive animals into the wild seem like a much more simple operation than it actually is. But its a chill family night movie. Just don't get your facts from it is all.

Without giving anything away, "Free Willy" is exactly how a satisfying family film about animals should be: the former starts out engaging, then it fills me with revilement. The characters are strong, and eventually, they displayed thick character development, the simple story is intensified by the poignant execution of the brilliant craftsmanship, and that makes this family film moving, and highly enjoyable. The message/moral of this parable is correct (animals should not be removed from their natural habitat, they should not be in captivity for entertainment, they need a lot of space; living free and in the wild), it works through subtext, and it never lacks focus. It offers themes of separation, healing family relationships, and animal rights. Finally, the stirring latter went from dramatically intense to uplifting and gratifying. The film clearly shows that the mighty orca is a gentle giant, but when in captivity, they become lifeless and even deadly (orcas have been responsible for many attacks on humans since the 1960s). They also display some feelings too, when the dorsal fin of an orca is bent, that means that they are either stressed, bored, or when there is not enough space for them. With superb camera work, Robbie Greenberg (cinematographer) has shot some of the most emotional cinematography I have ever seen; every time when there is a close-up on the character's face, it grabs my attention and moves my emotions, especially when there are close-ups on one of Willy's eyes (Willy is played by a male orca named "Keiko" and they used an animatronic). I saw the somber soul in his eyes. There are a lot of shots that offer simple display to tell you what is happening latter has a beautiful sunset for uplifting results. The camera zooms in on a character's face for ambitious business. I love how Simon Wincer (director) undertakes this film; he does this with gripping detail with facial expressions. The suspenseful elements are well-timed and smartly-structured. He also constructed some effective surprises. And the pathos are heart-wrenching. The sounds are appropriately utilized for the right tone to intensify the movie. When the movie pans to something bad, the tone explodes with brooding results, providing an uninhibited sense of foreboding. The big splashes of water are overwhelming. And the sound of Willy crying is heartbreaking. What really adds gravity to the execution of the movie is the lively and invigorating score by Basil Poledouris. The movie shows how considerably strong the characters are, thanks to their interesting backgrounds, energetic personalities, thick development. Jason Richter is phenomenal as Jesse; at first, he is a troublemaker who doesn't like anything, but it turns out, he is a sympathetic underdog who lost his mother, has trouble connecting with his family, and is captivated by animals. That makes Jesse a relatively complex yet utterly likable hero. The friendship between Jesse and Willy is endearing; it's pleasing to see them playing together, doing tricks, helping each other, and just interacting with each other in general. The family aspect of the film is riveting, especially with Jesse's adoptive parents (Glen and Annie), and his co-workers (Randolph and Rae), sharing information, healing their wounds, uniting and working together. Dial (Michael Ironside) is a grim and greedy businessman who wants to see Willy for entertainment, and eventually kill Willy for not participating in performance. I don't mind villains calling Willy a whale because villains are just uneducated jerks. But the protagonists are calling Willy a whale. In terms of the taxonomy, The fact is that orcas are not whales, they are members of the dolphin family (Delphinidae). In conclusion: as a creature fanatic and film reviewer, this adorable family drama affects me with poignant power, and as a compelling parable, it is a pleasing success. 4.5/5 Highly Recommended!

Unless ur a kid -(or woman N into this stuff), this movie differently NOT 4U GROWN MAN.. : 0