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Rating:
It may not be the breakout hit that earns lead Crispin Glover the recognition he so deserves after toiling away for more than two decades in supporting roles, but director Glen Morgan's updating of the 1971 cult classic nevertheless remains an entertaining effort and an ideal vehicle for Glover's quirky nervous intensity. Stylishly shot by Morgan and cinematographer Robert McLachlan, Willard successfully plays up the lush gothic surroundings in which the eponymous character slowly fades under the watchful eye of his overbearing mother. Encapsulating the essence of a true outsider as few could, audiences are able to sympathize with Glover's character as the hapless loner suffers both at home and at work under the wrath of his barking pit bull of a boss. An interesting choice to play a shrewd businessman given his universally accepted drill-instructor persona, R. Lee Ermey offers an effective performance as a ruthless and greed-driven office tyrant who slowly pushes Willard over the edge in his conniving bid to overpower the family business. As Glover's decent into madness accelerates and his intensity begins to boil over, viewers are offered one of the actor's most memorable and satisfying voyages into unhinged psychosis thus far. His portrayal of his character's relationship with his rats shows a man well versed in the basic politics of business but unable to transfer that keen understanding into a social-based reality. Gradually becoming an animal trapped in his own maze of mental decay, Willard's relationship with the rats offers an interesting and effective parallel to his work environment. Although viewers expecting to be frightened are likely to walk away disappointed, those seeking a dark and quirky study in mental erosion liberally peppered with black humor are in for a neglected treat. Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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