'Willow' Episodes 1 And 2 Spoiler-Free Review
Image Source: softtonic
Willow is back! Based on the 1988 movie of the same name, Willow is a continuation set 200 moons (roughly 20 years) after the adventures of the movie.
Familiar faces Warwick Davis and Joanne Whalley reprise their roles as Willow Ufgood and Sorsha (now Queen Sorsha), respectively. In addition, new characters join the magical world with Erin Kellyman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) as Jade and Tony Revolori (Spider-Man: Homecoming and Far From Home) as Graydon. Rounding up the cast is Ruby Cruz as Kit, Ellie Bamber as Dove, and Amar Chatham-Patel as Boorman.
RELATED:
Image Source: IMDb
The kingdom of Tir Asleen is currently at peace, thanks to a magical barrier that protects it from any danger. However, shortly after the end of Willow, Willow had a vision that involved the baby Elora and the return of the spirit of Bavmorda. Because of Willow's vision, the decision was made to hide Elora again, but this time to ensure that she never learned her true identity or the magic that was clearly inside her.
Kit and her brother Airk, children of Queen Sorsha and Madmartigan, are typical teenagers. Kit, the oldest, would rather practice sword fighting with her best friend, Jade, than wear dresses and do princess things. However, she wants more than what's inside the daunting brick walls surrounding her. On the other hand, her brother takes after his father in the sense that he puts on the charm and woos nearly every fair maiden in the kingdom to the point where he develops a reputation for saying the right things only to break a maiden's delicate heart.
In the first episode, 'The Gales,' after playing a quick round of historical catch-up, we find ourselves looking in on the life of a teenager who realizes that she must participate in an arranged marriage that she clearly wants no part of. Evil forces invade the kingdom and kidnap Airk, a fellowship emerges to save him, and thus the journey begins. But they have to make a pitstop first. They need a sorcerer to help them with their conquest. Enter Willow Ufgood.
In the second episode, 'The High Aldwin,' we find the fellowship between the Nelwyns and their home, which has now moved underground. Now older and wiser, Willow is the High Aldwin of the village. He knows he must aid the fellowship in their quest past the Shattered Sea, where the map ends. After a brief nostalgic encounter with Willow's daughter Mims (played by Warwick Davis' real-life daughter), the group is off through Mother's Gate, which will take them through the magical barrier and beyond.
Image Source: IMDb
The opening of the series gives a brief review of the movie using footage from the film to quickly get the viewer up to speed. The clips used are relevant and don't add any extra fluff, which, when you're trying to catch up on something from 30 years ago, context is important. The CGI blends seamlessly and doesn't take away from the viewing experience. Each episode opens with an old book slowly opening to reveal the title and an illustration relevant to the episode. This is a sweet callback to other 80s movies (and older Disney movies) that would start the same way.
Overall, the first 2 episodes of Willow put the viewer exactly where they need to be: Just past the starting line with enough information to move forward. They give both obvious and subtle callbacks to the film through familiar faces (not just the main characters!) and, of course, James Horner's Willow theme.
New episodes of Willow air Wednesday on Disney+
Rating: The Gails: 7.5/10
Rating: The High Aldwyn: 7/10
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
