Random Ass Movie Reviews: Willard
Happy Captain Marvel weekend everybody! I’ll be checking out the latest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe the first chance I get, but I’m not here to review Captain Marvel (all the internet traffic on that movie, you think anyone’s gonna read my shit out of the hundreds of already-established publications that will be covering it, are you crazy?)
Today, let’s talk about Willard an extremely peculiar not-quite a drama, but not-quite a horror film from 1971. It got remade in 2003 with the delightfully weird Crispin Glover in the title role (he’s known for playing George McFly in Back to the Future, but if you step outside that film holy fuck is that one weird guy-no disrespect, just watch this interview).
Before I go on, let me say that this review may not be for those who are particularly squeamish as the film is essentially about a man who becomes infatuated with a population of rats. However, I will keep major spoilers out of this review.
The titular character Willard (Bruce Davison) is a young man who knows nothing but being shit on in his day-to-day life. For starters, he works at a company that was originally his father’s, but around the time of his death a man named Al Martin (Ernest Borgnine) illegally took over the business and is now Willard’s boss.
Willard lives with his mother Henrietta (Elsa Lanchester, a veteran actor who played the lead in The Bride of Frankenstein back in 1935) who still treats her son like a child and is constantly heckling him about chores. Depressed, lonely, and friendless, Willard befriends a few rats in the backyard of his home.
Soon this group of rats becomes a full-blown population. Once a few show up in the house, Henrietta demands that Willard does the dirty deed of killing the rats. Willard can’t bring himself to do it and takes a liking to two particular rats whom he names Socrates and Ben.
As things get tougher for Willard at the office, he only grows closer to his rat buddies. His only other positive force in life is Joan (Sondra Locke), a temp who begins working at his company around the time he really gets close with the rats. Joan genuinely feels for Willard’s situation and tries to help him, but his relationship with the rats seem to keep Joan from becoming a full mainstay in Willard’s life.
The more pure horror elements of Willard come later in the film as the rats become more vicious and out of Willard’s control. It is a PG-rated film, but there were a few moments that made me want to cover my eyes (you know how PG-rated movies were back in the day). There is one unfortunate use of a homophobic slur from Willard’s boss Al, although you already hate his character by the mid-way point of the film when he uses it.
One of my favorite aspects of this film was the slow build-up to the horror. The film clocks in at about 90 minutes so it doesn’t drag on too much and the character of Willard is established enough for you to develop some empathy for him. I also appreciated the filmmakers keeping the romantic potential between Joan and Willard ambiguous as their relationship feels pretty natural.
Once again, definitely not a film for the squeamish or too faint of heart, but nevertheless an oldie worth a re-visit. All of the acting is solid and while the atmosphere isn’t too creepy by modern standards, it does leave an unnerving feeling by the film’s end.
Willard is currently available for streaming on the Showtime app and through their on-demand service. It is also available to rent on the standard streaming services (Amazon, iTunes, YouTube, Vudu, etc).
Rating: Keanu Reeves in Constantine (for all confusion about the ratings system click HERE)
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Have a happy weekend!
