4K Blu-Ray: Willow (1988)

The Film

Willow is a wild and odd film from an era when wild and odd was just your average weekend at the cinema. It's an original story from George Lucas, taking a break from Star Wars to make this and Howard the Duck, directed by Ron Howard, that doesn't make a lick of sense, but is so fun it really doesn't matter.

In the story, an evil sorceress, Bavmorda, rules the land with an iron grip. The child of prophecy, Elora, is destined to one day stop her. Like from a page of old religious texts, Elora is secreted away from her home and sent floating down the river as Bavmorda purges the kingdom of newborns. Elora finds her way to Willow (Warwivck Davis), a would-be magician who can't quite figure out how to tap into magic itself. With the help of the scoundrel Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), the trio must find a way to bring Elora home so that, one day, she'll fulfill her destiny and bring peace to the land.

To this day, thinking about Willow's plot any harder will raise more questions than answers. It's very silly, very melodramatic, and most of it is in service of the set pieces, which are arguably very, very cool.

But that's OK, as this is an emotional movie about big feelings and ideas, not something as indefinite as plot. How could you even ask for one when you've got Val Kilmer lighting up the screen as one of the great bad boys this side of Han Solo?

Lucas has always been open about his love for the monomyth theory penned by Joseph Campbell, and it's never as clear as it is with Willow. This is textbook hero's journey type of stuff, which means you will have heard and seen it countless times before and since. But Willow is a classic for a reason. Yes, today it will feel like Lord of the Rings -lite for many, and quite a few will already consider Lord of the Rings to be retro. Look past the dated elements and rough patches in visual effects, and Willow reveals itself a thoroughly enjoyable romp for the whole family.

For example, where else will you find a fairy tale that turns into a road movie that becomes a buddy comedy before turning into a monster film and leading into a coming of age story about the magic of friendship? That's a lot for a few seasons of television, let alone one barely two hour adventure romp.

Modern audiences will probably sneer at how sincere all of this is, and that's OK. That's part of the charm. There's much to love about Willow because it's never cynical, never mean, and always aware that it's lighthearted. We need some more of that today.

Technical Specs & Presentation

Once again, Nordic audiences are left shorted by a barebones release that cuts out all the extras and goodies that other territories take for granted.

Willow arrives in a looker of a box with great updated cover art that sells the 80s adventure vibe beautifully.

Sadly, that's where the good news end, as this is a truncated version of what's to offer elsewhere. No extras, no commentary tracks, nothing. There's a more expensive steelbook version available that includes them, but it's hard to find. It's a massive shame that for most, Willow will be just the film, and nothing more.

Video

Willow looks absolutely gorgeous, and this 4K restoration preserves all the lovely film grain and texture we've come to expect from an 80s release that was shot entirely on luscious 35mm film.

Because this is an effects-heavy film, some CGI elements were rendered in a 2K intermediary, which means they look a lot rougher than the rest of the movie. Check out, for example, Siskelbert, the two-headed dragon named after Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, to see what I mean. There's distortion, some splotches, and in general it looks dirty than grainy.

But that's really to be expected from any print, let alone something approaching 40 with a lot of revolutionary effects work going on. For me, it adds to the charm, and I'm more than happy that Lucas didn't go making new effects for the film as he has with other projects of his.

It's a slight step up from the already great Blu-Ray release from the early 20s, and it's really thanks to the great use of HDR that the 4K genuinely makes the experience even better than before. Colors are vivid and Ron Howard's use of shadows to heighten the mood work beautifully thanks to the expanded color science.

All in all, Willow has never looked as good before.

Audio

Big, loud, and immersive are the words of the day, and it's clear Howard and his team at ILM had a blast putting this together.

James Horner's score blasts out of all channels, the opening sequence, where Elora floats down the river, is full of delightful rushes of water, dogs barking, and general wild elements that put the audience right in the midst of the craziness to come.

I especially love the big action sequence in Siskelbert's castle, where sword fights, dragons, and crumbling buildings all come together in what should be a cacophony, and turn into a melody of destruction that's still, after four decades, a thrilling bit of escapist cinema.

Not much to complain about and I certainly won't nitpick something that's great, even if it's not groundbreaking.

Extras

As stated earlier, the Nordic general release is stripped of all extras, even if they're available on the separate Blu-Ray that's been out for a few years. This is a massive shame, and it really puts a dent into this idea that the 4K will always be the best, most expensive and complete version out there. At this price point, it shouldn't be too much to ask that we actually get the complete package.

Overall

Willow is a classic of the 80s adventure film era, and it's one of those fantastically bonkers stories we really don't get anymore. It misses on occasion and some of the humor is perplexingly juvenile, but when the story hits, it's almost always a home run.

The 4K Blu-Ray is technically dazzling and certainly the best possible way to experience the film. It's just a shame that anyone looking to own the most complete version will have to get the basic Blu-Ray as well, if they want to have the extras as well.