User Reviews
6.9
User score
Generally Favorable
positive
42(57%)
mixed
28(38%)
negative
4(5%)
Showing 13 User Reviews
May 10, 2026
7
7.5/10 Give a round of applause to Keiko for delivering the best whale, and possibly one of the best animal performances i've seen in a movie so far, Free Willy is a fun, charming, and surprisingly solid story about Jesse, whose personality i found interestingly written in a good way, i like that the writers didn't make him the typical sweet little boy who adores whales, instead, he's rebellious, troubled, and an orphan, and that choice adds a lot more depth to his character development. I also love the way the film looks, there's this strong color palette and warm tone throughout the movie, the score is beautiful as well, Michael Madsen plays a father figure who isn't exactly the best parental presence, which was clearly intentional storywise, but he still gives a solid performance alongside the rest of the cast, especially Jason James Richter, who delivers a good performance for a child actor, it's not perfect, but definitely convincing enough. The plot itself is sweet and engaging enough, while the pacing stays entertaining throughout, Free Willy is not exactly a masterpiece, but i mostly enjoyed it, younger audiences will probably love it even more, while older viewers may feel more divided on it, still, i found it to be a pretty good and heartfelt animal film with a solid story worth following.
Jun 21, 2019
7
A fairly moving film with good acting and quite touching story. Great family film.
May 29, 2018
7
The boy loves the whale. What are friends for? Great movie as a whole. A family movie.
Nov 10, 2016
10
This is one of my favorite movie involving animals and friendship. The movie has memorable moments and one of the best songs by Michael Jackson. This is the best one in the Free Willy series. 10/10
May 27, 2016
8
Call me crazy, but I managed to love Free Willy's entire plot and lovable characters without any scratch attached to it. Also, who could expect a killer whale to be this friendly when they have 'killer' in their name?
Aug 27, 2011
4
As bland as nineties rip-offs of E.T. could get, Free Willy copies that classic down to the smallest detail, but the bond is never felt between the boy and the whale, instead coming across as assembly mind fodder.
Jun 5, 2011
10
The best family film ever made that you can watch again and again and it never gets old! They don't ake movies like this anymore, long live Free Willy!
Jun 5, 2011
10
Brilliant, just brilliant! Amazing, this is a real family favorite and can be watched by everyone, no one dislikes this film! An amazing sense of adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat and falling in love all over again and again! 10 OUT OF 10! BRILLIANT!
May 31, 2011
10
This is one of the greatest movies to ever watch. Simply breathtaking. Jason James Richter is an amazing actor and Keiko the whale is a true gem. This is a movie that every person in the world has to watch...
