Against expectations, this G-rated family film about a street-smart, eleven year-old kid who forms a mystical bond with a killer whale that he helps free from captivity boasts a narrative assurance seldom found in similarly-themed nature adventures. Thematically reminiscent of John Irvin's little-seen Turtle Diary, a disarmingly diverting 1985 British film (from a screenplay by Harod Pinter, no less) featuring Glenda Jackson and Ben Kingsley as a couple of social misfits who decide to kidnap a bunch of turtles from the London Zoo and release them in the sea, Free Willy may sound like a calculated exercise in heart-tugging sentimentality but the genuine and knowing sincerity in Keith A Walker and Corey Blechman's clever screenplay, coupled with director Simon Wincer's astute feel for panoramic imagery, lend it an emotional pull than never feels manipulative or manufactured. It all adds up to an appealing, PG-rated crowd-pleaser capped off by a lyrical end credits montage showing the whale cavorting in the sea with its reunited family. Photogenic newcomer Jason James Richter and his magnificent mammal effortlessly monopolise the film's cute factor, while supporting cast members Michael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson, Lori Petty and August Schellenberg bring up the rear with solid performances.
