X
- 2007
- PG
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
- 2007
- PG
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
Summary The story begins when Angus, a young Scottish boy, finds an enchanted egg. Taking it home, he soon finds himself face-to-face with an amazing creature: the mythical "water horse" of Scottish lore. Angus begins a journey of discovery, facing his greatest fears and risking his life to protect a secret that would give birth to a legend. (Co...
Directed By: Jay Russell
Written By: Robert Nelson Jacobs, Dick King-Smith
- 2007
- PG
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
- 2007
- PG
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 52 m
The Water Horse
71
7.4
Where to Watch
Summary The story begins when Angus, a young Scottish boy, finds an enchanted egg. Taking it home, he soon finds himself face-to-face with an amazing creature: the mythical "water horse" of Scottish lore. Angus begins a journey of discovery, facing his greatest fears and risking his life to protect a secret that would give birth to a legend. (Co...
Directed By: Jay Russell
Written By: Robert Nelson Jacobs, Dick King-Smith
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 24 Critic Reviews
71
88% Positive
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
13% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 24 Critic Reviews
71
88% Positive
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
13% Mixed
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Personally, I wouldn’t take a toddler (unless he was the son of Tarantino) to this intermittently, legitimately terrifying tale of a boy and his Loch Ness monster. But everyone else should blow off "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and show up for the best kiddie picture of the season -- and, along with "Ratatouille," of the year.
Ffamily-friendly escapist fare that should enthrall, without insult, fantasy-minded viewers of any age.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 41 User Ratings
7.4
76% Positive
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
20% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
5% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 41 User Ratings
7.4
76% Positive
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
20% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
5% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
The story of this film is clearly inspired by the legends surrounding the "Loch Ness Monster", a creature that supposedly inhabits Scotland's deepest and most famous lake. The script is based on the deep relationship between the creature, a "water horse", and a young boy who had few friends, fear of water and an unresolved mourning after his father died in a shipwreck, probably provoked by a German submarine (everything happens during World War II). It does not matter if you believe in the existence of this creature or not, the fact is that the film works well as a family movie, creating a moving story and managing to form a strong bond of empathy between the audience and the characters, especially the boy, his mother and the little monster, who is a perfectly lovely creature. Everything was thought to create empathy with the audience, to involve our emotional side, and this works wonderfully well. A curious point is that the great villains are the British soldiers, with a deeply harsh and somewhat imperialistic pose, which may possibly be a subliminal criticism of the relationship between the English and the Scots.
Alex Etel did a good performance in the role of little Angus and Brian Cox also performed very well with the task of playing the character these days. Ben Chaplin made a very good character who made an excellent counterpoint to the villain, the British official played by David Morrissey. Emily Watson also pleased me, playing a careful, stiff but loving mother who has recently widowed and still misses her husband. However, it's the monster that enchants and deserves greatest attention. Of course, it's great quality CGI. The cinematography is excellent and the Scottish landscapes enchanted me, with large green hills and picturesque villages. The soundtrack is very good and plays its part wonderfully, but is quickly forgotten after the movie ends.
Overall this is a great movie for an afternoon with the whole family and it has everything for everyone, but it will be especially appealing to the younger ones of course. I recommend!
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Water horse is an original film that shares what is the human relation with the nature, however it could be (simple, or incredible, not caring about what other people would think), and also about how wrong is humanity with its intentions with the earth and its beasts.
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While it boasts a lower profile than many other Christmas releases, it might catch on with parents who want to take their kids to a movie that the entire family will actually enjoy. Nifty special effects and a first-rate British cast elevate this production.
It's adapted with charming dispatch from the Dick King-Smith story, and served up by the same CGI wizards who animated the critters in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Narnia Chronicles."
Predictable but entertaining kid movie.
First, a few things The Water Horse is not: revolutionary, controversial or challenging. What it is: a sweet, familiar story, beautifully filmed and lovingly told.
Parents can trust that none of their wee ones will ask for a stuffed water horse for Christmas. The star of this Scottish fable, about the mythical Loch Ness monster, looks like a raw chicken breast with teeth when he hatches.
Directed by Jay Russel (My Dog Skip) and based on a novel **** King-Smith (Babe: The Gallant Pig) The Water Horse takes place in Scotland during WWII and follows young Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel, ‘Millions’) who discovers a mysterious egg on the shore of the Loch. Soon the edge hatches a aquatic reptile which Angus names Crusoe. Along with his sister and hired handyman Mowbray (Ben Chaplin) Angus must hide Crusoe from his mother (Emily Watson) and the Royal Artilery regiment that has taken residence around his home (watching the Loch in case German submarines attempt to penetrate).
Now, if you were like me seeing the trailers for The Water Horse in 2007 you thought: "Another E.T. knock-off? Pass." And yes, Water Horse certainly is in the same vein as E.T., but that doesn't make it any less of a film. While some antics with Crusoe borrow from the E.T. handbook this is a film filled with heart, characters you can relate to, and some top-notch acting that at times makes you feel as if you're watching a full fledged World War II drama.
Unlike most films which fall under the E.T. umbrella Water Horse isn’t purely about cute children and creature antics. This film has some real dramatic heft to it at parts and the acting is all around outstanding. In particular the interactions between Angus and Mulbury, and/or his mother are outstanding. Young Alex Etel really does turn in a remarkable performance being able to perfectly share the screen with Chaplin and Watson. I especially love the interactions with the Mulbury character. Mulbury becomes aware of Crusoe early on so that it isn’t just children hiding the creature from adults for 110 minutes. Having an adult character’s perspective I feel really helps draw older viewers into the magic of the story. By helping the children hide Crusoe he shows a level of respect adults in this kind of film seldom do (usually adults only exist to scream and endanger the creature).
Of course this Water Horse wouldn’t be so legendary if it didn’t have the special effects necessary to bring Crusoe to life. The technical wizards at Weta (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) make the most of the film’s $40 million budget and, quite frankly, turn in better effects than many films I’ve seen with three times the resources. While the computer generated Crusoe can appear dated in some respects –either do to budget constraints or technological advances since the film’s release—the character is incredibly expressive and radiates warmth and –when the film calls for it— menace. This is a great computer generated character from the best in the business and because of it the film will age better than most other contemporary family pictures released during the 2000s. Scenes of Crusoe carrying Angus above and below the surface of the Loch are simply breathtaking and are sure to fill you with a childish sense of wonder.
If you have children or simply want a well-acted fantasy film I can’t recommend this film enough. It isn’t without its flaws, but it more than makes up for them with its radiant heart and top-notch acting performances. In a sea of mindless children’s films which profit on crude humor and slapstick Water Horse is a genuinely heartfelt motion picture which I wish we’d see more of. Many people –myself included- missed out on this film at the cinema in 2007 but I promise you this is a film worth sharing.
There is a kind of magic in the cinema, especially when seen through the eyes of children. The Water Horse has that magic, and I know beyond reason of doubt that when I have children and they’re old enough to watch their first movie films like The Water Horse are going to be at the top of my list. For that reason I am giving this film my highest recommendation.
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not my favorite, but it has the source material and the actors were supportive.
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it never can foliate into a storyline..
The Water Horse
Russell's petty attempt to make you care for an innocent creature grows on you, if you reach out for the material that it never can foliate into a storyline. The metaphor that it circles upto at the end of the line is undeniably fascinating but that is all King-Smith whose novel, The Water Horse from which it is adapted. As far as the execution is concerned, Russell fumbles a lot and isn't convincing enough to make us fall into this magical tale. His tactics that he uses to depict the relationship of the creature with each character is never the issue, it's those pawns on the plot that dresses up as a soldier and doesn't act like one, they are the real threat.
They are unfortunately not taken seriously. And as far as the gags that builds up the bond between the creature and the protagonist too, at times is taken afar, especially all the scenes with the dog. The characters aren't expressive either, their tone is unstable and dull, either their maturity and subtlety surprises you or the loudness, there is no balance. It has few good husky bits that keeps you hooked, like the Morrissey's evolved character, Chaplin's uncertain past and Water Horse's mythological tale. Watson is the only stunning performer in this cast.
Her stereotypical overprotective nature welcomes you into this house with ease. Chaplin and Morrissey fails to deliver like required and the young cast holds on to their part decently if not anything extraordinary. The visual effects could have been a lot better along with the editing and logistics that raises the question against the story and not with. The Water Horse is an essential movie that is apt for the political situation that represents society but frankly this material is piled upon the hoax of commercialism.
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A big flop of a kid's movie.
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Awards
Visual Effects Society Awards
• 2 Nominations
Young Artist Awards
• 2 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Nomination
