Free Willy 3: The Rescue ** (1997, Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg, Annie Corley, Vincent Berry, Patrick Kilpatrick) – Classic Movie Review 6423

Jason James Richter, the appealing one-boy save-the-whale campaigner from Free Willy (1993), is back for his third and final film as killer whale Willy’s pal Jesse, now aged 16, to try to save the orca whale from being harpooned by a shipload of illegal hunters.

Jesse takes work on a research ship with old friend Randolph (August Schellenberg) and sarcastic scientist Drew (Annie Corley). On the whaler’s ship is captain John Wesley (Patrick Kilpatrick) and his rebellious young son Max (Vincent Berry).

Sequelitis sets in for director Sam Pillsbury’s second follow-up film in 1997, but it is still smooth and professionally handled, and pleasant entertainment for its target audience of kids around the age of the hero.

Once again, after the furore surrounding the health of the real whale used in 1993 in part one Free Willy, the whales appear largely courtesy of animatronic models, but these special effects are streamlined and seamless like in part two, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995).

Also in the cast are Tasha Simms, Peter LaCroix, Stephen E Miller, Ian Tracey, Matthew Walker and Roger R Cross.

It is written by John Mattson, based on the characters created by Keith A Walker and Corey Blechman, shot by Tobias A Schliesser, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Jennie Lew Tugend, and scored by Cliff Edelman.

It box office appeal had collapsed, taking only $3,519,178 in the US.

After a gap, Richter returned to acting in late 2008.

Eventually Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove followed in 2010, with Bindi Irwin as young heroine Kirra and Beau Bridges.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6423

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