Free Willy

Despite being predictable and loaded with clichés, it is a film that marked a generation, alerted many consciences to very serious issues, and is still very beautiful thirty years later.

This is certainly one of the films that made an impression on people during the 90's, and that maintained its popularity and sympathy for many years. Today I think it has been forgotten, and in part I feel sorry for it. However, I believe that the film has already done its job: not only did it entertain those who saw it and continue to see it, but it also had a certain social role in the way it awakened in younger people (but not only them) a certain awareness of ecology, for the preservation of endangered animals and species. I also believe that the film had a certain responsibility for changing the thinking of zoos and places that keep animals in captivity: instead of being “animal deposits” for public entertainment, they became institutions with ever greater relevance in the preservation of animals: today, they are essential for the survival of species whose natural habitats have been destroyed and which are only perpetuated in captivity. They also take the lead in the assisted reproduction of many animals, such as the Giant Panda Bear, for example, as well as in the rescue, veterinary treatment and preparation of animals that, having been illegally hunted or lived many years in human company, need to return to wildness.

Thus, this film turns out to be more relevant for the effect it had on people than by itself. Analyzing it in a simple way, it is a rather sugary film, loaded with clichés and without great artistic quality. A family entertainment film, excellent to watch with the kids and which, for years, was almost institutional on television during the Christmas season. The script is quite simple, and takes a rebellious and angry teenager to regenerate when he begins to have contact with an orca that has lived in captivity for years. The friendship between them is t...

I guess Free Willy depends on how old you were in 1993.

For the most part, I really like Family Friendly, if they are done right they can be entertaining and uplifting. And, the kid in me can still see how people would love it, and still love it, if they saw it as a little kid.

But I was 13 when Free Willy came out, and, honestly, it's not E.T., it's not The Goonies, it's not even Radio Flyer let alone Sandlot.

It's a little too trite, a little too earnest, a little too childish and it lacks the fun and sense of adventure that films like Flight of the Navigator and The Explorers still hold.

In other words, for a family friendly movie, it's more kid friendly and not family enough, and it doesn't age well. I think if you are older than 10 when you see it, you're likely to throw the 1 star out there because it honestly doesn't have that much to offer to people much older. And, if you are under 10 when you saw it, year, it's probably a nostalgia classic to you.

It's just one of the family friendly movies that forgot it's supposed to be fun for the whole family, and that makes it age dependent.

The song by Michael Jackson was epic and I saw clips from this movie in there and it motivated me to watch this movie. But I must say I wasn't impressed. It was a feel good movie for sure, but I must say I enjoyed Dolphin Tale more. The story was slow and action sequences seemed a little far fetched like seriously breaking a 3,000kg animal out of jail!