Free Willy 3: The Rescue poster & wallpaper
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Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg, Annie Corley, Vincent Berry, Patrick Kilpatrick ... see more see more... , Tasha Simms , Peter LaCroix , Stephen E. Miller , Ian Tracey , Matthew Walker , Rick Burgess , Roger R. Cross , Roman Danylo

In the third installment in the Free Willy series, Jesse (Jason James Richter), the once-troubled youth whose life was changed by his friendship with the killer whale Willy, is spending the summer on ... read more read more...board a ship assisting a group a whale researchers, including his old friend Randolph (August Schellenberg), and Drew (Annie Corley), an oceanographer. Jesse once used a harmonica to communicate with Willy, and when he plays his mouth harp through the ship's underwater sound system, he is able to find his old friend, who is now raising a family of his own. As Jesse, Randolph, and Drew are out to study and assist the whales, a ten-year-old boy named Max (Vincent Berry) is accompanying his father John Wesley (Patrick Kilpatrick) on the fishing boat that John helps to run. Max soon discovers that John and the crew are not fishing for salmon, as he believed, but killer whales, which is illegal, but very profitable, as whale meat fetches $200 a pound on the black market. Jesse meets Max on shore, and when Jesse learns what John and his crew are up to, he tries to teach Max that while his father may not be a bad man, he's doing a very bad thing in killing the whales, who are intelligent, compassionate, and deserve the right to live; Jesse also acts to save Willy and his family from John and his fellow poachers. As in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Free Willy 3: The Rescue used mechanical and animated whales rather than flesh-and-blood aquatic mammals. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

62,283 ratings

Critics

44% liked it

16 critics

PG, 1 hr. 26 min.

Directed by: Sam Pillsbury

Release Date: August 8, 1997

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DVD Release Date: January 28, 2003

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Stats: 1,425 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,425)

  • fb733768972
    January 15, 2010
    fb733768972
    The weakest in the series! I did not find much to like about this film!
  • bhobbs1985
    October 26, 2008
    bhobbs1985
    They had already done captivity and environmental issues , now they focus on the illegality of whale hunting.

    I think out of the three films this film was the most serious. As a Kid I did not really like it because I was to used to the family-like background of the first two,... read more but as a recent watcher of this, it's not so bad at all. It really promotes and shows the harms of whaling in a way that our young society may relate too.

    I only did not like the film quite as equally because it had a lack of characters - no anne, no glenn, not even a mention of Elvis. It strolled away from the original two but it done well at doing so.

    It's worth a watch for adults and a worth buying for your kids to show the importance of these issues that do not only face whales, but many specices on earth.
  • superclerk25
    December 28, 2006
    superclerk25
    Still a fun series and almost as good as the first two.
  • dreamfaeries
    November 7, 2006
    dreamfaeries
    It was okay.
  • Yinali
    August 6, 2007
    Yinali
    Classic.
  • ilive4discus
    March 16, 2006
    ilive4discus
    I think the whale is free by now.
  • mingsysar
    February 18, 2006
    mingsysar
    Awful and unnecessary sequel. Well done for trying and failing to tackle a real and important issue though. An incapability to settle on a tone ruins this film.
  • JasonDennis91786
    September 4, 2009
    JasonDennis91786
    1st free willy: good movie for kids.



    2nd free willy: good movie for kids. just as good as the first.



    3rd free willy: teen garbage.



    see also: mighty ducks series.
  • skycatsx3
    December 14, 2008
    skycatsx3
    This is one movie that they could remake all they wanted and it would STILL be a favorite. It?s just a classic! Two thumbs wayyy up for all three Free Willy movies !
  • princessleah86
    May 28, 2007
    princessleah86
    I know I've seen it but I don't really remember it... If I remember anything I think it wasn't very good..

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Critic Reviews

Charles Cassady
December 15, 2010
Charles Cassady, Common Sense Media

For devoted -- and young -- Willy fans only. Full Review

Clint Morris
September 17, 2002
Clint Morris, Moviehole

Not exactly a whale of a time, but worthwhile

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

I mean really: how many stories could there BE between one boy and one whale?

David Luty
January 1, 2000
David Luty, Film Journal International

A film that treats its human audience with as much respect as its less-evolved subjects. Full Review

Leonard Klady
March 26, 2009
Leonard Klady, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

January 29, 2003
Houston Chronicle

No review available.

Jane Horwitz
January 22, 2002
Jane Horwitz, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Kevin Thomas
February 14, 2001
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Anita Gates
January 1, 2000
Anita Gates, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Peter Stack
January 1, 2000
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Free Willy 3: The Rescue Trivia

  • It's the last of a trilogy Max: Why do you care, anyway? Jesse: If one of your friends was in trouble, wouldn't you try to help him? Max: If I could. Jesse: My friends are whales.  Answer »
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