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Poster for Free Willy 3: The Rescue

Free Willy 3: The Rescue

Seen it?

1997 | 86 min | Family, Adventure

Weeknight Watch

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With middling reviews (44% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a box office loss, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for adventure fans and families. If you loved Free Willy, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood
Feel-good.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 26 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.

Willy the whale is back, this time threatened by illegal whalers making money off sushi. Jesse, now 16, has taken a job on an orca-researching ship, along with old friend Randolph and a sarcastic scientist, Drew. On the whaler's ship is captain John Wesley and his son, Max, who isn't really pleased about his father's job, but doesn't have the gut to say so. Along the way, Willy reunites with Jesse.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsBelow par

    44% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.1 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $3 million worldwide on a $35 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 60K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Sam Pillsbury

  • Jason James RichterJesse
  • August SchellenbergRandolph Johnson
  • Annie CorleyDrew Halbert
  • Vincent BerryMax Wesley
  • Patrick KilpatrickJohn Wesley
  • Tasha SimmsMary Wesley
  • Peter LaCroixSanderson
  • Stephen E. MillerDineen
  • Ian TraceyKron
  • Matthew WalkerCaptain Drake