Release
Date: April 08, 2008 Director: Jay Russell Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian
Cox Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Review: Based on a novel by Dick King-Smith, author of
The Sheep Pig (from which Babe was adapted), the touching and
often spectacular The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep ingeniously
presumes to explain the truth behind "Nessie," i.e., the Loch Ness Monster. The
story, told in present day to a couple of American tourists by a kindly
gentleman (Brian Cox) in a pub, begins with a lonely boy, Angus (Alex Etel),
pining for his father, who is serving in the Royal Navy during World War II.
Angus, along with his sister (Priyanka Xi) and mother (Emily Watson), live on an
estate that has been billeted by soldiers in the Scottish Highlands, near Loch
Ness. The troop’s commander (David Morissey) has an eye for mom, suspicions
about a mysterious handyman, Lewis (Ben Chaplin), who is also a war hero, and an
absurd contention that the Highlands are the real frontline in the war against
Germany...more
Extras: Six featurettes: "Creating
Crusoe," "Myths and Legends," "Setting the Scene," "The Characters,"
"The Story" and "Water Work: Creating the Water Horse"; deleted scenes.
Also available on Blu-ray Disc.
(Sony).
Movie Spotlight
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Release
Date: December 25, 2007 Studio: Columbia Pictures (Sony) Director: Jay Russell Screenwriter: Robert Nelson Jacobs Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian
Cox Genre: Adventure, Fantasy MPAA Rating: PG (for some action/peril, mild language and brief smoking) Official Website:
TheWaterHorse.com
Plot Summary: The Academy Award®-winning producer and special-effects
team behind "The Lord of the Rings" join with Revolution Studios, Walden Media
("The Chronicles of Narnia") and Beacon Pictures to bring to the screen the
magical motion picture "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep." 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.
EN 5 Second Review:
Mindless holiday fare for the family with cheesy special
effects. How fun.
Family
films that won't make adults gag are always in short supply, so a
pleasing British fantasy, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, is
a welcome addition to the holiday season Stephen Farber: Hollywood Reporter
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...more
The
star of this Scottish fable, about the mythical Loch Ness
monster, looks like a raw chicken breast with teeth when he
hatches Karen Valby: Entertainment Weekly
Parents can trust that none of their wee ones will ask for a
stuffed water horse for Christmas....more