WILLOW (1988)

Even worse then you remember.  George Lucas, from his ‘where’d the Zeitgeist go’ period, stole only from the best coming up with this ‘original’ story: Tolkien’s Hobbits for the brave little man on a mission to save the world; Jehovah for that Moses in the rushes escapade; endangered Princess on the lam from Evil Queen straight out of SNOW WHITE; why he even steals from himself with facsimiles of C-3PO and R2-D2 transformed as teeny-tiny chattering comic helpmates.  More STAR WARS fingerprints forced on director Ron Howard with those old-fashioned ‘wipe-edits.’  Too bad this does nothing to camouflage what’s missing in story, character or poorly executed set pieces.  Or is that second unit stuff, with even the simplest cause-and-effect edits consistently blown?  But there’s no mistaking the Howard touch in over-indulged reaction shots to cue audience response.  Even that little baby gets the treatment.  Meanwhile barely adequate special effects land only a half step up from Disney house-style of the period, and James Horner’s distinctive composing voice settles for copycat John Williams.  A major disappointment at the time, the film is now getting a reboot as a streaming series Coming Soon to Disney+.  Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  Strikingly bad acting, especially from the ‘little people.’  Though as our vain-glorious hero Val Kilmer may be equally bad, prancing about in an attempt at comic effect, but such a striking physical presence at the time, it hardly matters.  Up there with Brad Pitt & Keanu Reeves, and, shockingly, barely four years older than either.  He’s the only reason to watch.