Willow

Willow Movie Poster

Willow was a 1988 sci-fi fantasy film, written by George Lucas, that was directed by Ron Howard. The movie starred Val Kilmer as the great swordsman Madmartigan and Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood.  Criticism of the film was 50/50 back in the day, and although it did not do as well as expected, by the time it hit the VHS tape, it was a profitable film.

In this movie, which merges a number of Bible stories, the evil Queen Bavmorda is in fear of a prophecy that states a girl will soon be born that will cause the end of her reign.  In fear, the Queen puts all pregnant women in jail, and the baby is born in the dungeon.  Before the baby can be killed, the mother manages to slip the baby away with a midwife, who under pursuit from the Queen's army, places the baby on a raft and sends it down the river.  The baby ended up in the car of Willow Ufgood, a person small in stature, big of heart, and with some magical ability.

When a hound attacks Willow's village looking for the baby, Willow is sent on a quest to return the baby to the humans, and he ends up entrusting the baby to the first human he runs into, that being Madmartigan.  Madmartigan ends up losing the baby to thieves, and when Willow finds out the prophecy and his responsibility towards the baby, he attempts a rescue, with Madmartian as help.  The baby eventually ends up in the hands of the evil Queen, and Willow and his gang eventually find a way to rescue her.  After a great battle, some magic spells, some slight of hand, and a bit of luck, the baby is safe, and everyone lives happily ever after.