The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review)

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP (2007)

Starring Emily Watson, Alex Atel, Ben Chaplin, Priyanka Xi, Craig Hall, Brian Cox, Bruce Allpress, Eddie Campbell, Megan Katherine, Elliott Lawless, Peter Corrigan, Ian Harcourt, William Johnson and Lorraine McDonald.

Screenplay by Robert Nelson Jacobs.

Directed by Jay Russell.

Distributed by Columbia Pictures. 111 minutes. Rated PG.

It is a whimsically charming idea to make a film about the Loch Ness Monster – which, depending on who you talk to, is either a majestic and mysterious monster or one of the great hoaxes perpetrated on the world.

The creature is never referred to by its popular name in this movie but instead is known throughout the film as a water horse (which, I suppose makes sense – the people who actually live on Loch Ness wouldn't likely refer to it as the Loch Ness Monster.).

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep is an interesting mix of the legend of Nessie, wartime drama and a variation of ET: The Extraterrestrial. Not exactly a great mix of those ingredients – but it passes the time and kids will love it.

In the years of World War II, a young boy named Angus (Alex Atel) lives near the Loch with his mother (Emily Watson) and older sister. Mom works as the housekeeper for a local mansion. His father has been killed in the war and Angus, who was never an outgoing boy anyway, has retreated into himself.

One day while visiting the Loch (he likes the beach, despite the fact that he is afraid to swim) Angus finds what he believes is a huge rock. He decides to take it home (you never really know why) and is shocked to find that it is actually an egg. Eventually it hatches and Angus cares for and befriends the cute little squirmy animal which is born.

In the meantime, a local military unit takes over the mansion, so Angus has to hide his new friend from his mother and the soldiers with the help of his sister and a friendly new handyman (Ben Chaplin). This becomes progressively harder, and it grows by leaps and bounds. Within a week Angus realizes he has to return his friend to the Loch to save his life.

Not exactly stunningly original stuff, but it is acted rather charmingly and the actual Water Horse – though undoubtedly all done with CGI – goes from adorable little baby to rather awe-inspiring young adulthood.

Still, if you don't see the final twist coming from the very beginning, then you aren't trying very hard.

However, The Water Horse is not about shocking surprises. It's more about the wonder of nature, the allure of legend and the trust of a child.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2008 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: January 1, 2008.