Free Willy
Movie, 1993, The Early 90s
Free Willy is #14 of 27 in release order and #14 of 27 in chronological order in the VHS Kids Classics.
The story
When maladjusted orphan Jesse vandalizes a theme park, he is placed with foster parents and must work at the park to make amends. There he meets Willy, a young Orca whale who has been separated from his family. Sensing kinship, they form a bond and, with the help of kindly whale trainer Rae Lindley, develop a routine of tricks. However, greedy park owner Dial soon catches wind of the duo and makes plans to profit from them.
Free Willy recap
A young orca is captured off the Pacific Northwest coast and sold to an amusement park. Jesse, a twelve-year-old runaway living on the streets of Portland, is caught vandalising the park and is placed with foster parents, Glen and Annie, in Astoria. As punishment, he has to clean off his graffiti, and he bonds with the whale, Willy, who responds to his harmonica. When Jesse falls into the tank, Willy saves him. The keeper Randolph and the trainer Rae see that Willy only listens to Jesse, and Jesse gets a summer job training him. On opening day, Willy refuses to perform because children keep banging on the glass. Jesse finds that Willy is calling to his family, and learns that the park's owner, Dial, plans to kill Willy for the insurance money after his men damage the tank.
Free Willy ending explained
Jesse, Randolph and Rae move Willy in a truck to the sea, and Glen and Annie arrive to help when the truck gets stuck. They break through the marina gate and slide Willy into the water, but Dial's boats block him in. Jesse runs to the breakwater, says a prayer Randolph taught him, and Willy leaps over Jesse and the wall to the open ocean and his pod. Jesse embraces his foster parents.
Post-credits scenes
No. There is no post-credits scene.
Where to watch Free Willy
Free Willy isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 6.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 71%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Hocus Pocus, before Cool Runnings.
- Chronological order: after Hocus Pocus, before Cool Runnings.
Cast
- Jason James Richter as Jesse
- Keiko as Willy
- Lori Petty as Rae Lindley
- August Schellenberg as Randolph Johnson
- Michael Madsen as Glen Greenwood
- Jayne Atkinson as Annie Greenwood
- Michael Ironside as Dial
- Richard Riehle as Wade
- Mykelti Williamson as Dwight Mercer
- Michael Bacall as Perry
- Danielle Harris as Gwenie
- Isaiah Malone as Vector
Directed by Simon Wincer.