Where I Watched It: Disney Plus

English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe

Narrated by: Marsha Bartenelli

I meant to watch this a while ago, knowing that the Willow TV series was upon us. But, the season was just so full of films, I got around to it a little late. Yes, I’ve never seen Willow. This was my first viewing of this film. I was five when the film was released theatrically, so it’s not like I was walking up to the box office and buying my own tickets. As far as why not before now, I don’t really know.

But, having sat through this film, which feels very 80’s, but in a way that holds up, I can say that I’m also not sure I missed something I’d consider a beloved classic. I liked Willow, I just didn’t love it. Val Kilmer’s acting here is very reminiscent of his early days, and honestly, while I’m sure Warwick Davis gave a standout performance here for many people, he did nothing really for me. His performance seemed to be goofy and serious simultaneously, like the film couldn’t decide what it wanted to be, or what it wanted from Willow.

It’s that tonal shift, along with what felt like a rather repeated cycle of being captured and escaping, that kind of left me feeling a little deflated by the film. Luckily though, the team at Deluxe created some really solid audio description here, which is always important for a fantasy film. As there are creatures and characters here that have little basis in the real world, it was nice to know what they looked like, as well as how this realm is being presented, and the magic being used. It’s the kind of film that feels like a “must have” for audio description, and I couldn’t imagine watching this without.

I haven’t jumped into the series yet, but I will. I think the fact that I wasn’t blown away by the film kind of set me back a bit on feeling like I needed to prioritize that show. But, for those who haven’t seen Willow yet, and are thinking about diving in, I think it’s at least worth a viewing.

Final Grade: B-