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Movies / On DVD / Free Willy
Free Willy

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Free Willy (1993)

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Reviews Counted:20

Fresh:10

Rotten:10

Average Rating:5.4/10

Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: 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... 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? [More]

Starring: Jason James Richter, Jayne Atkinson, Michael Madsen, August Schellenberg

Starring: Jason James Richter, Jayne Atkinson, Michael Madsen, August Schellenberg, Lori Petty

Director: Simon Wincer

Director: Simon Wincer

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Free Willy

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/17/01
Almar Haflidason
Almar Haflidason
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A good family picture that does not get too sweet; worth a look.

comment Comment
05/01/03
Bob Bloom
Bob Bloom
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

No review available.

comment Comment
08/29/03
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

Good family flick

comment Comment
03/11/06
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
07/16/04
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
07/06/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Free Willy focuses on the friendship between a troubled 12-year-old boy and an orca at an adventure park. It will appeal tremendously to all "friends of nature," a term coined by Albert Schweitzer.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
02/06/03
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Marjorie Baumgarten
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Save the whale! Still a good family film with a great Michael Jackson title song.

comment Comment
02/17/08
Steve Crum
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan

Inspiring environmental tale for the kiddie-set.

comment Comment
07/26/02
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Audrey Rock-Richardson
Tooele Transcript-Bulletin (Utah)

No review available.

comment Comment
10/04/02
Brian J. Arthurs
Brian J. Arthurs
Beach Reporter (Southern California)

As plotting goes, Free Willy is strictly formula stuff.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Michael Madsen as a "good guy" foster father? Lori Petty as a whale trainer? Who cast ths movie!?).

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/11/03
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
01/01/00
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews

...many adults will find it too blatantly manipulative, but all the same it is decent, lightweight, juvenile entertainment.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
01/14/03
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com

Schmaltzy.

comment Comment
07/14/05
John Wirt
John Wirt
Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

Gooey pap that drowns in its own phoniness.

comment Comment
05/26/04
Ken Hanke
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

It's like Lassie with whales. Only siller.

comment Comment
11/22/02
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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