A Whale of a Tale!!

jeff-8

FREE WILLY was one of the best "Feel-good" movies ever made!  It isn't often that a movie makes you both Sad and happy at the same time and makes you want to stand up and cheer at the ending, but FREE WILLY was one of the few movies that did it.  Willy and Jesse met again in FREE WILLY 2 and it was great to see them together again, but unfortunately the enterprising premise (involving an oil spill in the ocean endangering Willy and his Family) turned out to be a bit too slow-paced and in some cases too hokey (like the scene where Jesse and Willy re-unite again after the first time Jesse plays the harmonica...it could have been thought out better).  Also the film spent too much time dealing with the issues of Jesse's new Step-brother, Elvis. However, the suspenseful last half-hour of the movie was great.  Which brings us to Part 3 which is actually almost as good as the first film and a lot better than part 2.  The storyline (involving the wrongful and illegal hunting of Whales and Jesse & Randolph's quest to stop a crew of nasty hunters) is very well written and emotionally charged like the first movie. I wish this film was marketed and advertised better because it really deserves to be seen!  It is emotional and heartfelt like the magic of the first FREE WILLY and in the end you will stand up and cheer.  It's cool to see what has become of Jesse and how he has grown up and it is good to know that Jesse and Randolph will always stick together to do what is right! If you passed on this because you were afraid that it was more of the same, guess again!  It is another wonderful story that deserves to be enjoyed again and again!  Check it out!!!

score 10/10

jeff-8 14 March 1999

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0416586/