Willard
A bullied social misfit turns his bond with a colony of rats into a grotesque instrument of revenge.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- melancholic
- eerie
- macabre
- late night horror viewing
- cult film marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the premise and character study intriguing but weakened by slow direction and tame, uneven rat horror.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Willard is squeezed out of his deceased father's company by his boss and responds to sustained workplace humiliation with revenge.
Willard raises rats including Ben and Socrates as his only friends before using their growing colony against his tormentors.
The old Stiles mansion and workplace are contrasted with rats gathering in increasingly disturbing numbers.
The timid social outcast moves from isolation and victimization to directing attacks on those who mistreat him.
Films like Willard, and why
Psycho
psychological horror centered on an isolated outsider whose private grievance turns into murderous retaliation
The Birds
animal-driven horror using familiar creatures to create mounting menace and social unease
The Green Man
darkly comic revenge fantasy about a misfit targeting tormentors through macabre methods
Movie Details
- Director
- Daniel Mann
- Release Date
- 1971-07-30
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (141)
Cast
- Bruce Davison
- Ernest Borgnine
- Sondra Locke
- Elsa Lanchester
- Michael Dante
- Jody Gilbert
- William Hansen
- John Myhers
- J. Pat O'Malley
- Joan Shawlee
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Shudder Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Willard about?
- A bullied social misfit turns his bond with a colony of rats into a grotesque instrument of revenge.
- What is Willard like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Willard as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Willard violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Willard as moderate.
- What did critics think of Willard?
- Critics generally found the premise and character study intriguing but weakened by slow direction and tame, uneven rat horror.
- Which films are like Willard?
- Films with a similar feel include Psycho, The Birds, and The Green Man.
- How long is Willard?
- Willard runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Willard?
- In United States, Willard streams on Amazon Prime Video, Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Shudder Amazon Channel, Shudder Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
