‘Willow’ Gets Updated With Teenage Focus In Sequel Series That Takes A Little Time To Find The Magic

That George Lucas is part of the history of cinema thanks to having created a saga as massive and influential as ‘Star Wars’ is something that cannot be denied. But his contribution to fantasy and science fiction with his Lucasfilm does not stop there. There is, of course, ‘Indiana Jones’, co-created with Steven Spielberg, but also a storyline smaller than his imagination, but equally very important to an entire generation as it is. ‘Willow’, a 1988 film directed by Ron Howard and starring Warwick Davis which, over time, has become one of the most representative classics of the 80s.

The wave of nostalgia we are experiencing, together with the possibilities offered by the streaming revolution, resulted in the return of many past properties in the form of a belated sequel. It happened with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, ‘Blade Runner 2049’ or ‘Star Wars’ itself, legacy sequels that have managed to recover the spirit of their original references to expand their corresponding sagas . Likewise, Disney and Lucasfilm decided it was time to give a sequel to ‘Willow’, a film which, without being a major blockbuster in its time, has gained enough love over the years to establish itself as a cult classic.

‘Willow’ is the classic hero’s journey, an adventure full of danger and magic in which an aspiring farmer wizard embarks on an odyssey to protect a little girl from a witch who seeks her to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy that threatens her (yes , basically “The Mandalorian”). Loaded with imagination, a sense of fantasy and the darkness that characterizes the fantastic cinema of the 80s (it is twinned with classics such as ‘Into the Labyrinth’, also produced by Lucas, ‘Lady Hawk’ or ‘The Princess Bride’ ), ‘Willow’ represents a very fertile and special stage for the genre that many have set out to reproduce, even if not always successfully..

In 2022, 34 years after ‘Willow’ premiered, we return to its magical land of sword and sorcery with a sequel series for Disney+ created and written by Jonathan Kasdan, son of the legendary Lawrence Kasdan (writer of ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Indiana Jones’) and head of the script for ‘Han Solo: A Star Wars Story’. With this revival, Kasdan explores and expands a corner of Lucasfilm, first cousin of ‘Star Wars’, which despite its enormous potential, had remained intact until now. A continuation that benefits from the episodic structure of the original classic to delve into its universe from the serial format, transforming the journey of the aforementioned hero into a hero’s journey, with a different test in each chapter and where the chosen family will be the emotional core of a story of research and discovery.

The new ‘Willow’ is set 20 years after the events of the film and picks up the threads of its story by introducing a new generation of heroes, Kit (Ruby Cruz), Jade (Erin Kellyman), Dove (Ellie Bamber), Graydon (Tony Revolori ) and Airk (Dempsey Bryk); heirs of that battle between light and darkness fought two decades ago, and which now connects past, present and future. This is the biggest news, and the peculiarity that separates the series from the film, a markedly adolescent approach that puts five young people in the foreground, some of whom are directly linked to the protagonists of the filmwho look to Willow Ufgood for guidance on a journey to face the evil that threatens to return and, along the way, their own personal demons.

It’s certainly an interesting premise that avoids falling into mere nostalgic repetition and forges its own path, but it can create a considerable shock effect for those expecting a sequel that is 100% faithful to the original. Although the series is directly tied to the plot of the film, it features exciting returns (in addition to Davis, we also have Joanne Whalley as Sorsha, now queen and mother of two of the young protagonists) and as it progresses it connects more and more to it , the focus almost always falls on new characters, and this is where a decision is made that can be quite irritating, especially at the beginning. ‘Willow’s New Band of Heroes Are Markedly Modern in the Way They Act, Interact, and Most Importantly, Talk.

Kasdan draws on his experience writing teenage characters in shows like ‘Dawson’s Grows Up’ and ‘Freaks and Geeks’ to imbue the protagonists of ‘Willow’ with thoroughly contemporary idiosyncrasies. The idea, clearly, is to update the property for younger generations, but for those who grew up with the film, an adaptation process may be required. The first episode isn’t the best cover letter, at times it feels more like a teen series from The CW than an 80s medieval fantasy. This somewhat off-kilter opening is all about introducing new characters and setting a new direction for the franchise (now). Furthermore, the youthful style is accompanied by a soundtrack with very off-key pop-rock songs and can end up burying the epic character of the story in a layer of fake superficiality.

Now, after that baffling beginning of whether or not this is ‘Willow’, the series is starting to find its way. We have already seen 7 of the 8 episodes that make up the first season, so we can say that the overview enormously benefits the whole (one wonders if, in this case, the weekly premiere could harm). It is specifically from the fourth episode, which connects the series to the film in an exciting and visually brilliant way in a key place from the past, when ‘Willow’ takes off and keeps getting better, finding that precious balance between nostalgic homage and a reinterpretation for our times.

The power of chosen family to elevate a story

For all this, it is advisable to try it if it doesn’t finish convincing us at first. Despite his shocking creative choices, Kasdan knows what he’s doing, and it’s all in service of one main goal: to strengthen bonds and create a group dynamic at the heart of the story. ‘Willow’ is based on the characters, their character paths and their relationships (friendly, romantic and parent-child), and this makes the second half of the season find that emotion and magic that becomes more effective when we are attached to them. They are well-constructed heroes, who defy expectations and renew their archetypes with a modern sensibility, full of layers and surprises (both for themselves and for the viewer), thus establishing a mutual and intergenerational dialogue that ends up giving very beautiful moments (“One day we will be the leaders and we won’t have to do things like our parents”).

This spirit of renewal passes through representation, of course. In line with what Disney is doing recently with all its properties, ‘Willow’ increases diversity in a space (paradoxically) limited in this sense such as fantasy. If the film was already transgressive in the weight it gave to women (remember that the chosen one is a girl, the warrior Sorsha is as strong and courageous as her male counterpart, Madmartigan, and the final battle takes place between two sorceresses), this sequel continues to emphasize the female characters, but there are also non-stereotypical racialized protagonists and, mind you, characters that are openly queer, prominent, unambiguous (including kissing), and with a lot of plot weight. Get ready to cry.

Performance-wise, the young cast does a more than fair job, but grows in confidence and emotional packaging as they discover the edges that make up their characters. In this case, Warwick Davis is perhaps the least inspired of the main cast. Even allowing for the fact that the Willow Ufgood of the series has lost the innocence and vitality she exuded in the film and is a harsher and sadder version of herself, Davis is excessively robotic and flat. Of course, even his is a case of less to more, improving in the second half of the series, thanks above all to the alchemy he develops with his disciples and travel companions, with whom he creates a precious chosen family. Finally, it must be mentioned Amar Chadha-Patel, whose Boorman (a thief and swordsman who joins the group on their journey), is the scene-stealer of the series and quite possibly the audience favorite. His are some of the best comic moments of ‘Willow’, although in it we also see the vices that lose Kasdan, and that make the series fall into an anachronistic humor that can take us out of the series (at times it seems slightly influenced by Taika Waititi for better or for worse).

‘Willow’ takes a while to recover that magic so characteristic of 80s fantasy, but that’s because for a while it’s not her main focus. Of course, when she does, it more than makes up for it. In addition to having vigorous action scenes and magical creatures that recover the charm of animatronics like “Star Wars”, Visually, the series is of an authentic beauty that leaves us, especially in its final stretch, impressive images, beautiful landscapes, reminiscent of Tolkien, immersed in immersive color palettes that excitingly expand the universe we encountered in the film and the shots that must be framed. The series revolves around the growth of its heroes, and that’s just what it does with the story of him, grow, learn, improve, until he becomes something worthy of the legacy he inherits.

‘Willow’ will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on November 30th.

Note (Episodes 1-7): 7

The best: Visually it is a delight. How relationships and group dynamics underpin the story. When he finds the magic, he keeps getting better.

Worse: A beginning a little out of place in tone. Modern dialogues creak. Pop-rock songs don’t even fit in a shoehorn.