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Free Willy 3: The Rescue

1997, Movie, PG, 85 mins

Free Willy 3: The Rescue: Review

FREE WILLY 3: THE RESCUE
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The third and, one hopes, last installment of this continuing boy and killer whale tale finds one-time runaway Jesse (Jason James Richter) starting his first summer job, tracking whales on a research boat under the watchful eyes of mentor Randolph (August Schellenberg) and salty senior-scientist Drew (Annie Corley). The hackneyed story of his professional hazing is intercut with that of Max (Vincent Berry), the 10-year-old son of gruff fisherman John Wesley (Patrick Kilpatrick): The boy's relationship with his dad is damaged when Max realizes that his father is illegally hunting whales. Willy (Keiko), who's now living free as part of a group of wild whales, is injured in a brush with Wesley and his crew, and Jesse vows to find out who's out there hunting endangered whales. But the movie's central dilemma belongs to Max: Will he or won't he rat out his own father to save Willy and his whale friends? Kilpatrick's performance as the morally challenged skipper gives the movie some much needed complexity that's mirrored in the stunningly versatile cinematography. And while Richter -- once a tough little screen presence -- has become a singularly bland teen actor, Berry picks up his grouchy mantle. Willy/Keiko has done yeoman's duty in taking the "killer" out of killer whale and specializes in such charming tricks as bouncing children into the air with his nose. If his playful antics played a larger part, the movie would stand a better chance of holding the attention of kiddie audiences. But most of the action focuses on human relationships rather than on poor Willy, and the tacked-on bit about Willy becoming a whale of a dad will wring groans from children and adults alike. leave a comment --Sandra Contreras
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