Willow Ufgood, a dwarf from Nelwyn, finds a baby floating on a grass-raft in the creek beside his land. After the peaceful Nelwyn is attacked by a hound in search of the child, Willow embarks on an unexpected journey (of sorts) to deliver the baby to humans for protection. As his entourage quickly resigns and the outside world appears frightful, Willow frees and then gives the baby to a caged warrior named Madmartigan. Thanks to mischievous fairy-like creatures, the baby ends up back with Willow. He, Madmartigan, and the sorceress Fin Raziel must evade the evil queen’s forces and warrior-babe daughter Sorsha. Magic, bravery, and a few hijinks ensue until a climactic battle is waged for peace and prosperity—you know, the usual fantasy fare.
If “Willow” works at all, it’s thanks to Warwick Davis’s earnest performance and Val Kilmer’s swing-for-the-fences reckless bravado and silliness. I like the idea of an ‘original fantasy’ and it was fun to see a story like this resolve through innocence and humor, rather than the usual dramatics (although there was plenty of that). The film was straight up cuckoo at times, often making me chuckle, and sometimes for the wrong reasons. The final slap-and-magic showdown between two old women is...something you don’t see often. And the visual effects were both neat and distracting, with an over-reliance on gimmicks that pulled attention away from the story’s heart. I think ultimately, fantasy just isn’t my genre—but I like what “Willow” tries to do.