Warwick Davis is great as a Willow, an Everyman thrown into a world rather bigger than he feels able to cope with. Great fun with a clever script and Ron Howard's ability to give characters depth and plausibility, even small cameos. I've seen the film many times and the whole family still love this tale of a little guy in a big world. Some people slate the film, I think just because of its naive charm, but I think it's a gem.

A prophecy foresees the downfall of evil sorceress Queen Bavmorda by a baby girl with a special birthmark. Bavmorda imprisons all pregnant women to check for the birthmark. A nursemaid secrets away the baby floating her down the river. Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) is a struggling Nelwyn farmer. His kids find the baby and decide to keep her despite his objection. Bavmorda sends her daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and General Kael to lead a search for the baby. Nelwyn sorcerer The High Aldwin decide to send Willow to find a Daikini willing to care for the baby. Willow finds Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) locked in a cage. Airk Thaughbaer leads what remains of his army to battle Bavmorda. With no other options, Willow releases Madmartigan and gives the baby to him. The tiny Brownies steal the baby and capture Willow. Fairy queen Cherlindrea explains that the baby is Elora Danan and she chooses him for a quest. Cherlindrea gives him a powerful wand and sends him to find sorcerer Fin Raziel with the help of Rool and Franjean.Lucas is pushing the envelop on what is possible in computer graphics. It is not quite there but it is interesting in the attempt. As for the story, it has all the elements of high adventure. Willow should complain a little less in the first act. He sounds too whiny in that first part especially during the escape in the cart. Val Kilmer is a good cad. The story needs a few more passes to make it flow better. The action could be better choreographed especially the hand-to-hand fighting. This could be a great fantasy adventure but the CGI is not completely ready and the story needs a little more work. Ron Howard needs to worry more about the story and less about the computer work.

George Lucas may be the king of pastiche, so it's no great surprise that 'Willow' is like classic Disney 'toons like 'Sleeping Beauty' and J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' smashed together.Beautifully shot and skillfully directed by Ron Howard, 'Willow' manages to overcome many of its flaws and deliver a fun, rousing adventure. He's aided greatly in this endeavor by his strong cast. Led by Warrick Davis (Who manages to be both strong and vulnerable at the same time) and Val Kilmer (Who creates a memorable askew hero in Madmartigan), they lift the material to another level.It may imitate the classics, but it's not quite a classic itself. Still, 'Willow' is a heartfelt and charming tale and a journey well worth taking.

In a time of dread, seers have foretold the birth of a child that would bring about the downfall of the powerful Queen Banmorda (Jean Marsh) that wants to destroy the baby. When the child is found, her midwife flees with her. But she is hunted down by dog-like creatures and she puts the baby on a wooden raft to be carried out by the river. The Daikini (human) child is found by the Nelwyn (dwarf) family of the farmer and aspirant magician Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) and his wife decides to take care of her. But when the dog-like creatures attack the Nelwyn village, Willow discloses the baby to the council. The sorcerer High Aldwin (Billy Barty) decides that Willow shall take the baby back to the crossroad of the Daikini land with a small group and deliver her to a responsible Daikini. But Willow meets the thief Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) locked up in a cage and he believes Madmartigan is not the right person. However he is convinced by his friend to deliver the baby to Madmartigan. But soon the fairy Cherlindrea (Maria Holvöe) tells that the baby is Elora Dana from the omen and is a very special baby. She also tells that he must protect Elora and deliver her to the sorceress Fin Raziel (Patricia Hayes) that will raise her. She also gives a magic wand to him to deliver to Fin Raziel. Willow embarks in his journey with Madmartigan and the Brownies Franjean (Rick Overton) and Rool (Kevin Pollak) but they are chased by Queen Bavmorda's daughter Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) and the evil General Kael (Pat Roach). The struggle between good and evil begins."Willow" is a magic adventure from the magic 80's, when most of the best recent movies were made. This fantasy has action, adventure and romance in an excellent screenplay and special effects. The characters are charismatic and there are many funny scenes. Unfortunately this type of movie that is pure magic and entertainment has been recently forgotten by the studios. Today I have just watched "Willow" on DVD and it was a magic travel to almost twenty-eight years ago. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Willow – Na Terra da Magia" ("Willow – In the Land of the Magic")