MovieChat Forums > Willow (1988) Discussion > Why all the hate for this movie?

Why all the hate for this movie?

posted 14 years ago by GollumsLunch
104 replies | jump to latest

I frequently see this movie referenced as a terrible 80's fantasy movie. I've often seen in reviews where people write things like "Not since Willow has there been a fantasy film this bad..."

I just read a scathing review for The Last Airbender that included the gem: "The Last Airbender feels like throwback to the pre-Lord of the Rings/Harry Potter era when fantasy was a joke (the bastard son of science fiction) and when movies like Willow dotted the landscape and set unwatchably low expectations for the genre."

I don't get it. At one time I thought it might be one of those movies you love as a kid, but when you watch it as an adult it really doesn't hold up. I've found that to be the case for a lot of movies. This wasn't one of them for me. I bought it on DVD a couple of years ago, and didn't find it to be a masterpiece, but still really enjoyed it.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] defleppardvanhalen 14 years ago

I love the film. Honestly, I liked it better than most films drenched in special effects.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] forwantof 12 years ago

That's exactly what he said.

[–] Kalen-2 9 years ago

Willow had some of the most numerous special effects of it's time. 30 matte shots (to compare, Return of the Jedi had 44), one of the largest blue screen stages ever built, first to extensively use the groundbreaking effect of CG morphing, miniature 9 inch tall people, go-motion two-headed fire-breathing Eborsisk....
The movie itself was put back several years because the technology didn't exist yet to make the film as you see it.

[–] krtkkarphillmuk 14 years ago

I LOVED this movie.. LOVE this movie!

I think for its time Willow was a great movie!!!

Maybe because the generations are getting younger and spoiled with better technology?

I loved the movie and wish more fantasy films like this came out!!!

"They're all mistakes, children. Glad I never was one."

[–] adamknox 14 years ago

I think you have it the wrong way around :( Like howard the duck it didnt do that well at the cinema (from what i understand) after it was released on video and was run on tv it picked up fans as the years went on! Now willow is seen for what it is, a great movie, a great story and an amazing fantasy :D... at leats thats how i understand it :'( I once read that tehyr ealsed follow on stories as books as there wasnt ANY intrest in releaseing any movies.
This message was done in the best possible of taste :) x 24/7

[–] draken82 14 years ago

Yes I know late reply. Willow was always a movie I enjoyed watching growing up, I always had a soft spot for fantasy, and there was little of that to enjoy throughout most of the 90s and Willow was one of the only decent offerings.

I read quite a bit of fantasy books and yes adamknox to answer you question, they did release a trilogy of books in the late 90s called Chronicles of the Shadow War continuing the story of Willow about 15 years later. Elora Danan is the main character and Willow changes his name to Thorn. They weren't the highest quality story and I only vaguely recall them, I never did finish the third book. Madmartigan and Sorsha are both cut from the story.

Now as for the movie, I just watched it again today, having not seen it in over 10 years. In some ways it's lost a bit of it's magic but it's still a rather entertaining movie. One thing that bugs be a bit were the fight scenes, for some reason to me they don't look as good as I remember. The fight between Madmartigan and Kale for instance seems a bit rushed and not particularly well choreographed, and I know part of the reason for this is simply that I'm a bit spoiled by some of the more advanced fight scenes we have today, such as in Lord of the Rings. So again, it's still a pretty fun movie, but not as good as I remember it being, and I'm not talking about special effects cause I don't care so much about that.

I don't know how to put this but I'm kind of a big deal. People know me.

[–] arklier 12 years ago

Curse you for reminding me of that horrible series of books.

You got further than I did. I quit halfway through the first book. I always hoped there would be a sequel to Willow. Until I read the damn thing.

I do remember that Madmartigan, Sorsha and Eric the Red all die in the prologue. They didn't even make it to the main story.

[–] Buzz-Duh 12 years ago

I really enjoyed Willow as a kid and I enjoy it just as much now as an adult. To be honest, I never heard of anyone disliking this movie until I went on IMDB.

--
Youngblood II: Racki's Revenge

[–] joe_538 11 years ago

I won't even read the books, I want to remember everything and everyone the way they were.

Willow is a fun, funny, and exciting movie. Good underrated soundtrack too.

[–] TheSolarSailor 11 years ago

I won't even read the books, I want to remember everything and everyone the way they were. >>> Wise decision. Those Shadowmoon books or whatever they were called were an insult to everything the movie was about. It felt more like some generic fantasy that was bought and had the name Willow slapped onto it, with a short prologue written to make the quick transition between film and new crappy story. Chris Clairmont of Xmen fame should be ashamed of his work on Willow. It's awful.

- - - - - - -
Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] wearnk 12 years ago

in agreement here. This is one of my favorite movies. I can watch it over and over.

[–] crowscan 14 years ago

Until I saw the LotR movies, I stood by Willow as the best of the fantasy genre. I liked Krull and the Sword and the Sorcerer and others as a kid, but none of them hold up now.

Willow is still great fun.

(But I hate the 'this is warfare not agriculture' line)

[–] jayskitstar 14 years ago

How could anyone not like Willow?!?! It's one of the greatest fantasy adventures out there and it's tons of fun. Loved it from the first time I saw it and it still holds up to this day in my eyes. A highly entertaining film with some great performances by the entire cast and some amazing work by the entire crew that was involved.

http://thelucidnightmare.blogspot.com/

I'm runnin this monkey farm now !!

[–] krtkkarphillmuk 14 years ago

btw, the film score is fantastic too! :)

"They're all mistakes, children. Glad I never was one."

[–] btara_ktahn 14 years ago

I guess we're just lucky.

All of my friends and family love the movie. I don't know anyone in the Real World who doesn't like it, and as far as I know, no one online who I've spoken to dislike it. So I'm guessing it's the same pointless monkey-spankers who call Michael Bay the 'worst director in history', even though there are clearly directors who suck much worse than he could ever hope to (anyone else remember Ed D. Wood, Jr and Ray Dennis Steckler?)

Just shrug them off like I do. Their opinions are handed to them by their friends and not gained by any first-hand experience from watching the movies, themselves. :o)

(RANT)
Oh! Gotta love when they post their unfounded remarks to commercial publications and think they're being clever or witty even though they have no idea what they're talking about in the first place. Case in point: "Clash of the Titans" review in Game Informer magazine. The writer's snitty remarks said that "Clash of the Titans" was just a remake of the God of War games; unaware that "Clash of the Titans" was a remake of a classic Ray Harryhausen film from 1981. When fans of the film pointed it out, the editor corrected it, but the reply was snitty, as well.

So to GI (and others):
Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Check your facts once in a while; that's what Google's for, right?
(/RANT)

But hey, I might have gotten some of the facts wrong, too... but since it's my rant, I'll just smile and hit Post Reply and go do something else for a while. :o)

Don't ask me what I think of you,
I might not give the answer that you want me to.
- Fleetwood Mac, "Oh Well"

[–] dalldorfw 11 years ago

"So I'm guessing it's the same pointless monkey-spankers who call Michael Bay the 'worst director in history', even though there are clearly directors who suck much worse than he could ever hope to (anyone else remember Ed D. Wood, Jr and Ray Dennis Steckler?)"

I haven't seen enough MB to call him the worst anything ever, but I can tell your from experience that 'Glen Or Glenda?' and 'Rat Phink & Bobo' are far more entertaining than 'Bad Boys'.

[–] zeroleginds 14 years ago

I can't tell you why everyone else hates this movie, but I can tell you why I didn't enjoy it. I'm going to be brief here: I thought that the movie was rather cliched by fantasy novels of decades before, I didn't really care for the characters, and overall the movie is paced like a snail.

The stamp of mediocrity!

[–] TheSolarSailor 14 years ago

The movie doesn't come close to being paced like a snail. I am not claiming that it has perfect pacing, but to compare it to a snail is yet another case of people on the internet over-reacting to try and make their point stick.

- - - - - - -
Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] zeroleginds 14 years ago

I'm just using an analogy of how I felt while watching the movie.

The stamp of mediocrity!

[–] themightyperm 13 years ago

when movies are compared to books than there is automatic fail

movies should only be compared to other movies

[–] zeroleginds 13 years ago

I was comparing the clichés of the movie (a fantasy film), to the clichés of fantasy novels.

The stamp of mediocrity!

[–] Kuato_and_George 13 years ago

Been browsing here a bit lately and have come across a few posts like this. Several people saying critics panned it. I also saw another one saying his film teacher tore it apart.

1. I didn't realize this many people hated it too.

2. I just watched it recently and LOVED IT. It's pretty much a medieval Star Wars (as far as me liking it). I enjoy it a lot.

My movie review site!
http://hesaidshesaidmovies.tripod.com/index.html