Free Willy

1993
PG
1h 52m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

85K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer1:58

Adventure Drama Family

When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

85K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

4,003

919

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 7 wins & 2 nominations

Videos2

Photos88

+ 81

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Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
After the movie was released, it brought the living conditions of the star orca, Keiko (Willy) to the world's attention. His tank was too small, with too-warm chlorinated artificial salt water. Keiko suffered from a weakened immune system and a skin condition around his pectoral fins. There was a monumental effort to release Keiko. A custom tank was built in the Oregon Coast Aquarium and in 1996, the whale was flown from Mexico to Oregon. He recovered well, and was moved to a sea pen in 1998. In July 2002, Keiko was released into the wild after spending 22 years in captivity. Unfortunately he did not fully adapt to the wild and died in December 2003 in Norway. Keiko became the second oldest orca to live in captivity.

Goofs
When Willy is jumping over the stone wall at the end of the movie, the bottom of the actual whale does not match the pattern of the CGI whale that lands the jump.

Quotes
Rae: You like whales?
Jesse: I like him.
Rae: Well, he doesn't like anybody. So you be careful around him. You see, Willy's a case. A very special case.
Jesse: So? Who isn't?

Crazy credits
A disclaimer at the end of the first half of the end credits following A Donner-Shuler Donner Production reads, "No whales were harassed or mistreated during the making of this film and all scenes involving a live animal were supervised by the American Humane Association."

Alternate versions
The first Warner Bros. Family Entertainment variant featuring Bugs Bunny spinning the banner hoop after placing it on the WB shield appears in the fullscreen version of the film. This plaster can only be found in the VHS prints, 1990's HBO airing, and standard side of the 1997 DVD. The latter release used a similar version where the main logo is the first variant but with audio taken from the second variant.

Connections
Edited into Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)

Soundtracks
Will You Be There
(Theme from "Free Willy")
Written and Produced by Michael Jackson
Co-Produced by Bruce Swedien
Performed by Michael Jackson
Courtesy of Epic Records

User reviews107

Review

Featured review

Impossible, but very good

First, of all it is impossible for a 12-year old kid to have a friendship with a killer whale. However, it is pure magic. A 12-year street kid Jesse(Jason James Richter) ends up getting arrested for spraying graffiti all over a northwest aquatic park. He ends up having the responsibility to clean up. Meanwhile, he lives with a foster care family, the Greenwoods(Micheal Madsen and Jayne Atkinson) until Dwight(Mykelti T. Williamson)can find his mother. But, he ends meet a pal by the name of Willy. He's a killer whale. He's a beautiful animal and well tamed, but he is very, very sick, needs his family and wants to go back out into the ocean. The emotion in this movie is touching.

Being a 24 year old, I had a ball.