It’s been 34 years since WILLOW entered the world of fantasy cinema, and I have to wonder, after all this time, does anyone necessarily care about a sequel series? The film, directed by Ron Howard and based on ideas from George Lucas, has gained cult status and remained a nostalgic classic in the hearts of “elder millennials” throughout the years, but what has prompted Disney to revisit this seemingly one-off epic? My guess: the desire for a GAME OF THRONES/RINGS OF POWER equivalent on their platform. They had the right to the material and decided to use it.
Ron Howard returns to executive produce the series. Despite this, however, its first two episodes are mostly just OK. The first of the two, entitled THE GALES, does a nice job of catching audiences up on what happened in the movie and gives us an update on what some legacy characters have been up to. The second episode, THE HIGH ALDWIN, is much slower and less interesting.
Seeing Warwick Davis return as the titular character will surely bring joy to fans of the original film. His character radiates the same courage and heart he always has, and it’s wonderful to see him back in action. Joanne Whalley returns as Sorsha, now queen of the realm. Her strong presence brings a bit of levity to the uneven cast. Her daughter, Kit (Ruby Cruz), is one of the most insufferable characters I’ve come across as of late. Her independent nature and desire to forge her own path should be admirable and inspiring, but she plays the role like a snotty, entitled gen-z byproduct, using the sentence filler “like” far too often for a period piece. She’s very poorly written. Her American accent is distracting amidst the backdrop of a fantasy world. (In fact, half the cast speaks with modern American accents while the rest speak with typical world-of-fantasy-English accents.)
The rest of the cast is alright. The only new character of interest is Thraxus Boorman, portrayed by Amar Chadha-Patel. He’s clearly meant to play the role of the cocky, rough-and-tumble, handsome scamp in place of Val Kilmer’s Madmartigan, who is apparently no longer with us. Dempsey Bryk as Prince Airk is borderline-lovable but scarcely present. I assume the cast of new characters is so weak because the writers intend to start them at a low bar and build them up throughout the season—I hope so, anyway. Annabelle Davis, Warwick’s real-life daughter, plays his on-screen daughter, Mims, in the series as well. She does a wonderful job, and honestly, I wish the series were about her rather than the droll leads we’ve been burdened with.
The show does have its strengths. It actually does feel like it belongs in the same universe as the movie. The costumes and scenic design are delightful. Filmed in Wales against a backdrop of sweeping greenery and beautiful forestry, it’s easy at times to dismiss the poor dialogue and enjoy something pretty to look at. The creature design is top-notch as well, delivering scares and interesting villains throughout. The brief sequences of action are worthwhile and tease the prospect of some exciting combat in future episodes.
I intend to stay with the show, despite its flaws. It’s nice to see a fantasy series take itself slightly less seriously and allow itself to have some fun. As engaging as GAME OF THRONES was, it’s also incredibly bleak and depressing. Willow inspires hope, which is something I think we’re all looking for in a hero these days.
WILLOW is available to stream on Disney+.
