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Movies / On DVD / The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

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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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Release:

Mar 25, 2008

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Reviews for The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

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21 - 40 (sorted by date)
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... a magical, worthy film that deserves a place on the classics shelf beside films like Whale Rider and Lassie Come Home.

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
12/28/07
Philip Martin
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

...a bit too calculated and reliant on special effects.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
12/27/07
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

A sweet, whimsical fantasy-adventure for the whole family.

Full Review Source: www.susangranger.com | comment Comment
12/27/07
Susan Granger
Susan Granger
www.susangranger.com

The Water Horse features an awkward combination of real-life drama and cutesy physical humor that never blends.

Full Review Source: The Deadbolt | comment Comment
12/26/07
Brian Tallerico
Brian Tallerico
The Deadbolt

A rich, mostly tender fairy tale.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
12/26/07
Ann Hornaday
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post

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.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
12/26/07
Ken Fox
Ken Fox
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A tepid, CGI-enhanced family movie that should delight 6-year-olds with a lap full of popcorn.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
12/26/07
Geoff Pevere
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
12/26/07
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

What makes The Water Horse different is its sophisticated, wraparound story, which initially seems at odds with a computer-generated sea-beast.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
12/26/07
Tom Keogh
Tom Keogh
Seattle Times

The special-effects creature is a fairly marvelous creation.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
12/26/07
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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.

Full Review Source: Philadelphia Daily News | comment Comment
12/26/07
Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson
Philadelphia Daily News

The film is a triumph of empathy.

Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
12/26/07
Lisa Kennedy
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post

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.

Full Review Source: Orlando Sentinel | comment Comment
12/26/07
Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel

Few kid films manage to assemble this much ambition alongside this much sincere, sweet emotion.

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
12/26/07
AV Club

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.

Full Review Source: New York Daily News | comment Comment
12/26/07
Elizabeth Weitzman
Elizabeth Weitzman
New York Daily News

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.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
12/26/07
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune

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.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
12/26/07
Jim Slotek
Jim Slotek
Jam! Movies

It's the cast that really makes it work

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
12/26/07
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

The Water Horse moves along at a dutiful clip, engaging us without transporting us.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
12/26/07
Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Boston Globe

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.

comment Comment
12/26/07
Laura Kern
Laura Kern
New York Times
 
 
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