Come on now, you have got to be kidding. A boy from the wrong side of the tracks befriends a captive killer whale and helps him escape from his awful persecutors - a kind of Black Beauty of the seas or what? This has got two words written all over it before you even see it - naff and heartwarming.
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Some of us will never understand why this boy-and-his-whale tale became the hit family ... more
film of 1993 and one of the bestselling videos of all time. But it is easy to see how clever marketing and a tear-jerking story could touch the hearts of kids and pa...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: It's over now Disadvantages: Stereotypical American mush
...and have it heavily ensured, free up a few nuts and disaster starts to happen, but no, our hero discovers it and with the mandatory Indian mentor and female interest starts transporting the animal to the open sea.
It looks like the baddies have blocked the only exit but no Jesse gets Willy to leap the rock barrier and flee to A BETTER LIFE.
All together now, AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Yeah, this really is a film ... ...the barest factual objective basis can't help me, I'm doomed I tell ya to roam the universe forever plagued by awful American films with naughty but cute kids taking the main spotlight and I DON'T LIKE IT.
The fact that this film saw the ill treatment of a killer whale into the bargain and the most unique part of the entire process was the said whale's bent dorsal fin says it all really.
Come on now, you have got to be kidding. A boy from the wrong side of the tracks befriends a captive killer whale and helps him escape from his awful persecutors - a kind of Black Beauty of the seas or what? This has got two words written all over it before you even see it - naff and heartwarming.
When you watch it, the heartwarming end of the spectrum rapidly starts to hightail it into the far distance and you're just left with the unerring notion that this film is totally and utterly NAFF. Even if Mr Heartwarming was to hang around for a while like a bad smell, it wouldn't be much better, because heartwarming as it is defined in America is just vomit inducing pap of the highest order.
This film makes me come over all unnecessary and suffer an attack of rampant boils because it is so BLOODY AWFUL.
Ah well, let's give some facts...
Jesse's father has left the family (can you blame him for wanting to escape this bloody odd part of the USA where real life just does not exist) or died (lucky bleeder) and his mother is struggling with his heady rush of adolescent hormones and the new guy in her life is firm but fair (YEAH, really!).
Jesse carries out some naff graffiti work down at the local aquarium and sea life cnetre and has to make amends by cleaning it down. It's there that he makes friends with a captive killer whale called Willy and starts to teach him to perform. Comes the big day all these other foul American brats start beating on the tank and prevent the expected show. Cue the sadness.
Then the manipulative scoundrels who own the centre and have it heavily ensured, free up a few nuts and disaster starts to happen, but no, our hero discovers it and with the mandatory Indian mentor and female interest starts transporting the animal to the open sea.
It looks like the baddies have blocked the only exit but no Jesse gets Willy to leap the rock barrier and flee to A BETTER LIFE.
All together now, AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Yeah, this really is a film with zero redeeming features. Even trying to keep things to the barest factual objective basis can't help me, I'm doomed I tell ya to roam the universe forever plagued by awful American films with naughty but cute kids taking the main spotlight and I DON'T LIKE IT.
The fact that this film saw the ill treatment of a killer whale into the bargain and the most unique part of the entire process was the said whale's bent dorsal fin says it all really.
I CANNOT BEAR IT ANY MORE .... IF I CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT THIS IRREDEEMABLY AWFUL 90 MINUTES I MAY WELL SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST... dave27 OVER AND OUT ... beep beep beep
Advantages: spend time with the family Disadvantages: no extras on the dvd version
...was gone.... strange? Free Willy was released to the cinemas in 1993 and was very successful thanks to the kiddies dragging their parents to see the story of the big whale and parents hoping for another E.T . While this film is no E.T it is still a very enjoyable movie for the 10-14 year olds although adults will find something to like here too. The only thing adults may dislike is the sugercoated message the film is trying to put through that of ... ...portrayed the cruelty between humans. Free Willy was targeted for the younger audiences though( It's rated pg) so it is forgiven for avoiding such a portrayal.
Free Willy is the story of a 3 tonne Orca whale (whose real life name is Keiko) confined in a Pacific Northwest aquatic park in a small tank and taught to perform tricks for the audiences that visit the park. He has been separated from his family and is very unhappy in his enclosure.
Jesse ...
meggyloo 15.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Free Willy (DVD)
Advantages: Nice playing by Keiko And Jason Richter Disadvantages: I can't say a disavantage about this movie.Because it helps whales.
Free Willy(1993): Great synthesis made by the director Simon Wincer about the relationship between child and a whale.Dramatisation is is well enough for causing our tears drop to much.The film has a great end and I advice for all children because the movie shows good friendship.The whale Keiko has on top performance by playing the role Willy.İts soundtrack is still remembered.This movie causing the people saving and protecting the whales.The ... ...with spray outside to whale tank.And the authorities sentence him to clean up the tank and put him in a new home.When working meet Willy and after their relationship Jessie learns the friendship and love life from Willy and he opens up himself to the new parents and whale caretakers.Then Jessie hears the conversation of the man who owns the park and he understand that he prepare to use his dirty tricks on Willy.Can Jessie save Willy from this situation.The ...
Dreamlight 24.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Free Willy (DVD)
Free Willy
**********
As most of us know, A man's best friend is a Dog.But in this case that saying is not qiute so true.
A young boy has his heart set on another best friend "Willy" the Killer Whale.
When he was little Jesse (played by Jason James Richter( was abandoned by his own mother and as a result of this has spent the majority of his life either living on the streets and in childrens homes.
Jesse gets himself caught Spraypainting the ... ...Jesse is made to clean the mess up that he has made returning every day until it is complete.
Meanwhile, a couple looking to for a young boy to share their home with them comes to his rescue and takes his out of the childrens home.Jesse is not all that keen that this is going to be a good thing although the couple do seem like nice enough people. Then something really strange happens. Jesse seems to have made a new friend whilst returning to complete ...
me_and_my_teddybear 27.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Free Willy (DVD)
ok, first of all credit to the people that made this film because working with a giant killer whale can not be easy. but could they not have made a better story line once they have learned to control the whale. you would think that after doing that building it in to a good story line would be easy wouldnt ya? but no. all that happens is that a kid becomes its friend and some people try to steal it. who would want to steal a whale anyway? oh well, ...
steveymacca 25.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Free Willy (DVD)
Free Willy is a very well-known film, partly because of it's storyline but mostly because of the star killer whale, Keiko, was kept in captivity under very bad conditions. However, the film seems to reflect his lifestyle as the film is about a whale kept in a family attractions theme park. He is kept in the worst conditions, and when Jesse a young boy from the city comes to live in the town, he decided that the whale had to be free. With the help ...
becky_uk 25.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Free Willy (DVD)
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Free Willy (DVD)"
Advantages: I don't need to watch it again Disadvantages: So dire they named it twice
FreeWilly!!
Drink in the words, breathe them, and RELAX!!!
Saccharine story, sugary moments, little boy lost, befriends a killer whale and helps him escape to freedom - let's all go aaaahhhh!
Now as awful films go, FreeWilly the first was pretty dire, all American in that oddly syrupy sort of way with every cliche known to man on the go - Lord, they even had their own token Red Indian. However, at least you could just about tolerate it and all its oh so predictable build up to the eventual happy days are here again climax.
At least back then it was new and quite fresh (Look, I'm being nice and making all the allowances I can because an op which just said CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP etc would get pretty bloody dull even if it was honest)...
Now ...
dave27 01.06.2001 (28.09.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Free Willy 2 (DVD)
Advantages: One fo the whole family Disadvantages: Obvious, developing story
sea on his boat. Wow! All those whales out at sea how fantastic, what a sight!
If you have not watched part one of this movie Willy is a Killer Whale and Jesses best friend and they have just been reunited again, after Jesse let him go in part one. Will we see more of Jesses harmonica calls? (Harmonica is what Jesses use to call Willy). As there is nobody that can understand Jesse's pain about the lose of his mother Willy is always in the waters and happy to lend an open ear.
It seems like every body is impressed with the Whales I have to say they are quite a spectacular spectacle! Whale riding to impress your girlfriend that is something! (Watch and find out)
Plot -
Jesse is getting to grips with his mums death and he has just met his half brother. There are also growing up and dating issues. Has Jesse been kissing Nadine? Now ...
NEO_TECH 11.08.2005 (12.08.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Free Willy 2 (DVD)
Advantages: Not bad for a follow-on, better than some. Disadvantages:
I bought FreeWilly 2 before I saw it because I knew I would love it. I Loved the first movie and the second did not disappoint me.
In this movie, Jesse finds out his mother has died and he has a half-brother named Elvis. Elvis comes on a camping trip with Jesse and his family. They go on a trip to an island where they are able to watch the whales.
With the help of his friend Randolph, from the first movie, Jesse is reunited with Willy the orca he had helped set free. Willy had found his mother and had a sister Luna and a brother Little Spot.
While Jesse is on vacation an oil tanker runs aground. Oil spills into the bay where the orcas are. Willy, Little Spot and Luna are stuck in the cove. Luna is also sick from the oil. It's a race against time to cure Luna, get the orcas out of the cove and back with their mother before the oil ...
An abandoned boy in trouble with the police is placed with foster parents. There, he meets Willy, a twenty-two foot long Killer Whale. Together they plan Willy's escape.
"...Sweet-natured....Nicely acted by [Richter] and by his older associates..." (New York Times, p.C12, 16/07/1993)
"...An exhilarating drama....An astute, intelligent family picture, the film is a potent reminder that you can have your heart in the right place and still produce a gripping, satisfying entertainment..." (Variety, 19/07/1993)
DVD Description
Jesse, a homeless orphan who spends his days evading the police, finally gets caught spray painting a whale tank at a local park. Because he distrusts adults intensely, Jesse's not too happy when authorities place him in a foster home and sentence him to clean up the tank he vandalized. Unexpectedly, Willy, the whale who inhabits the tank, takes a liking to Jesse, and the animal and child develop a bond -- a bond that also helps Jesse open up to the adults in his life, including his new parents and the whale's caretakers. But then Jesse learns that Dial, who owns the park, only wants to keep Willy if he can be trained to perform for an audience. Can the boy find a way to save his beloved whale before Dial plays some dirty tricks of his own
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