Wayward preteen Jesse is ordered by the court to clean up the faded Northwest Adventure Park, where he befriends Willy, the park's notoriously difficult orca. As the two misfits bond, Willy joyfully responds to Jesse's commands with a spectacular display of flips, rolls, leaps and dives. But Jesse discovers the park's owners plan to kill Willy. Now both Jesse and his whale friend must learn how to trust in order to accomplish a nearly impossible feat--to Free Willy.