The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

[KLAXXON]

The Loch Ness monster comes to life in this imaginative adaptation of the children's novel by Dick King-Smith (BABE). A young Scot (Alex Etel, MILLIONS) befriends a tiny creature called a water horse, but his new pet doesn't stay small for long.






Three aspects of The Water Horse make it a most pleasant surprise. First, it’s a kids movie that’s not just a kids movie, with enough interesting characters and emotional complexity to hold the interest of adults just as much as children. Far too many filmmakers are willing to sacrifice an adult audience when they’re primarily aiming at kids – not a smart move when you consider that there are still some parents who like to spend movie time with their little ones. So full credit to director Jay Russell, not to mention screenwriter Robert Nelson Jacobs, and Dick King-Smith, on whose novel the movie is based.

The second winning choice by Russell and his team was the decision to focus on the human story rather than making this a movie all about the beast (initially a cute little beast) around which the film is built. By using the monster (Crusoe as its human caregiver, little Angus, names it) as a premise and prop rather than the core of the film, we get plenty of chance to get to know the family at the centre of this story, its Second World War situation, and the deep sadness in Angus that makes raising this beast especially important to him.

Closely linked to this second good choice is a third: the filmmakers’ restraint in not overly obsessing with the computer animated images of Crusoe, aka the Loch Ness Monster. Don’t misunderstand – we see plenty of the beast, particularly during its rapid growth from egg to mega-sized adolescent. But Russell avoids the pitfall so many filmmakers fall into when they love the animation so much that it obliterates the rest of the movie, and particularly its human elements. We get a nice balance here, which makes the story strong and actually makes the beast all the more interesting, as we don’t see too much of it.

Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel) is a sad little fellow, waiting out the war in rural Scotland, clearly unready to accept some of the harsh truths of what war is all about. He at least is able to live comfortably, as his mother (Emily Watson) runs the estate of an aristocrat who is currently away fighting the war. Along with Angus’ sister (Priyanka Xi), this little family lives quietly until a military unit arrives and sets up camp on the estate, preparing to defend against the threat of a German invasion from the north.

Alex discovers an unusual item on the beach at around this same time. It turns out to be an egg, which hatches, leading to all sorts of complications, as Alex wants to keep his find secret. Not easy with a small army marching about the property while the little beast frolics in a garbage can, the bathtub, and the estate’s pond, growing rapidly and creating some situations that are difficult to explain.

The story nicely interweaves the legend of the Loch Ness monster with this tale of childhood angst, wartime drama and adventure. The film looks authentic and the performances also work nicely, with Watson, Ben Chaplin, who plays another servant, and David Morrissey (as the slightly pompous army Captain Thomas Hamilton) all nicely complimenting Etel’s sensitive portrayal of Alex.

Yes, the monster becomes huge and there’s plenty of action when the inconveniently close military force mistakes him for a submarine, but the remarkable thing about The Water Horse is that this is a bonus. Even without this reasonably well executed excitement, it would have worked as a good solid family film.






Bruce Allpress ...  Jock McGowan
Geraldine Brophy ...  Gracie
Eddie Campbell ...  Hughie (as Edward Campbell)
Ben Chaplin ...  Lewis Mowbray
Peter Corrigan ...  Jimmy's Buddy #1
Brian Cox ...  Old Angus
Carl Dixon ...  Gunner Corbin
Alex Etel ...  Angus MacMorrow
Nathan Christopher Haase ...  Male Tourist
Craig Hall ...  Charlie MacMorrow
Ian Harcourt ...  Jimmy McGarry
Rex Hurst ...  Jimmy's Buddy #2
Bill Johnson ...  Clyde (as William Johnson)
Megan Katherine ...  Female Tourist
Elliot Lawless ...  Beach Kid



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