The Five Faces of **_FREE WILLY 3: THE RESCUE_**

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:heart_eyes:

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:smiley:

With a new composer, the series goes back to a more vivid and carefree soundtrack familiar from the first film. This is perfectly suited to the film itself.

The series has matured by this point and main star **Jason James Richter** with it. He has grown into a charming young man and the forced teenage dramatics from the last movie have been put aside. He hasn't improved as an actor, but at least there is no one here to ruin what he is doing on-screen.

It's nice to finally meet some properly unsympathetic and fleshed out villains in this franchise. **Patrick Kilpatrick** puts a face to the man who proves to be a worthy match for Jesse and Willy. He and his team of whalers are what the franchise needs to feel relevant again.

Max brings hope for the future of the franchise, but too little too late. He is adorably natural and somewhat of a Jesse Jr. and had the franchise not been dead already by this point he could have inherited Richter's position.

The whalers create proper danger and tension with some harrowing scenes hunting down Willy and the company. That helps put a sinister, less joyful atmosphere over the film.

This feels like the sequel _Willy 2_ should have been. It's less of a summer film with the character spending half the film whaling around and more of a mature film putting the humans and their struggles in focus. It's become a heist operation film, which I personally think is nice.

_Willy 3_ reinvigorates the touching relationship between Jesse and Willy (even though Willy remains a robot and nothing beats the original). The rapport between Jesse and Max is admirable and definitely better than in the earlier movies.

_Willy 3_ contains a level of tension and thrill that is unprecedented for the series. It's just the right amount of grim and lighthearted, with a believable plot, good villains and smart use of the orcas. The film reaches a whole new emotional level.

In terms of the story, the mature direction, the emotional level, and the villains, I really find this the best entry in the entire series.

:neutral_face:

**August Schellenberg** returns again as Randolph. This time he feels less important to the story and there is very little new Schellenberg has brought to the part.

Despite a largely even pacing, the middle part feels a bit dragged out as the movie enters a standstill while building up for the finale.

:frowning2:

**Annie Corley** continues the trend of diminishing supporting actresses in the franchise. She is bland and boring and barely plays a part in the story.

:face_vomiting:

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**The Final Face:** :smiley: