... a magical, worthy film that deserves a place on the classics shelf beside films like Whale Rider and Lassie Come Home.
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)
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Reviews Counted:81
Fresh:59
Rotten:22
Average Rating:6.5/10
Consensus: The Water Horse is a fine family film. It takes a classic tale and infuses it with extra imagination, sly humor, heart, and inventive special effects.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some action/peril, mild language and brief smoking.
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Dec 25, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $40,412,817
Synopsis: Based on the novel by BABE author Dick King-Smith, THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP is set in Scotland during World War II, and focuses on Angus (Alex Etel), a young boy who discovers an unusual... Based on the novel by BABE author Dick King-Smith, THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP is set in Scotland during World War II, and focuses on Angus (Alex Etel), a young boy who discovers an unusual egg at Loch Ness. When the egg hatches to reveal a dinosaur-like creature, Angus finds that he has a unique pet--a mythical "water horse," which he names Crusoe. Complicating matters are Crusoe's fast growth rate and soldiers stationed near the lake, factors that make it very tricky to keep the friendly beastie a secret. A thoroughly likable family film directed by Jay Russell (TUCK EVERLASTING), THE WATER HORSE provides an intriguing spin on the classic boy-and-his-dog tale. While Etel, who won over audiences in MILLIONS, ably carries the movie, he is supported by a topnotch ensemble that includes Emily Watson as his mother, newcomer Priyanka Xi as his sister, and Ben Chaplin as a good-natured handyman. Primarily sharing the screen with Etel, however, is the Loch Ness Monster-in-the-making, which is wonderfully rendered by Weta, the company behind the digital effects for THE LORD OF THE RINGS films. Both cute and--in his larger state--intimidating, Crusoe strikes up a surprisingly believable relationship with Angus, providing the heart of this beautifully photographed story. [More]
Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey
Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian Cox
Director: Jay Russell
Director: Jay Russell
Screenwriter: Robert Nelson Jacobs
Producer: Robert Bernstein, Douglas Rae, Barrie M. Osbourne, Charlie Lyons
Composer: James Newton Howard
Studio: Columbia Pictures
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Reviews for The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
The Water Horse features an awkward combination of real-life drama and cutesy physical humor that never blends.
The period detail is evocative, Watson and Etel are particularly good, and baby Crusoe -- a computer-generated image seamlessly woven into the live action -- is a slippery little star in his own right.
A tepid, CGI-enhanced family movie that should delight 6-year-olds with a lap full of popcorn.
It's so pleasingly old-fashioned that you could almost believe it was made in the World War II era during which it's set.
What makes The Water Horse different is its sophisticated, wraparound story, which initially seems at odds with a computer-generated sea-beast.
A capable British cast brings life to the characters, and the movie's computer animators do a good job with the monster, from playful 'pup' to formidable adult.
Maybe the best thing about this cute pet movie is that the kids won't be able to talk you into picking one up on the way home from the theater.
Few kid films manage to assemble this much ambition alongside this much sincere, sweet emotion.
It's a little corny and somewhat overlong, but a sweet sensibility and stirring adventure scenes make The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep a welcome gift for anyone looking to keep kids entertained over the holidays.
The film is what family entertainment ought to be, but so rarely is: a ripping good adventure, a parable about childhood and maturity, and a romp.
It all moves with predictable deliberation, with a revelation at the end that will be a surprise only to those who have been asleep through the movie.
The Water Horse moves along at a dutiful clip, engaging us without transporting us.
Many lonely children yearn for a pet to call their own. In The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep based on a novel by Dick King-Smith, a boy finds not only that, but a best friend as well.
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