Review of The Water Horse (2007) by Thranx — 05 Jan 2014

Directed by Jay Russel (My Dog Skip) and based on a novel Dick King-Smith (Babe: The Gallant Pig) The Water Horse takes place in Scotland during WWII and follows young Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel, ‘Millions’) who discovers a mysterious egg on the shore of the Loch. Soon the edge hatches a aquatic reptile which Angus names Crusoe. Along with his sister and hired handyman Mowbray (Ben Chaplin) Angus must hide Crusoe from his mother (Emily Watson) and the Royal Artilery regiment that has taken residence around his home (watching the Loch in case German submarines attempt to penetrate).

Now, if you were like me seeing the trailers for The Water Horse in 2007 you thought: "Another E.T. knock-off? Pass." And yes, Water Horse certainly is in the same vein as E.T., but that doesn't make it any less of a film. While some antics with Crusoe borrow from the E.T. handbook this is a film filled with heart, characters you can relate to, and some top-notch acting that at times makes you feel as if you're watching a full fledged World War II drama.

Unlike most films which fall under the E.T. umbrella Water Horse isn’t purely about cute children and creature antics. This film has some real dramatic heft to it at parts and the acting is all around outstanding. In particular the interactions between Angus and Mulbury, and/or his mother are outstanding. Young Alex Etel really does turn in a remarkable performance being able to perfectly share the screen with Chaplin and Watson. I especially love the interactions with the Mulbury character. Mulbury becomes aware of Crusoe early on so that it isn’t just children hiding the creature from adults for 110 minutes. Having an adult character’s perspective I feel really helps draw older viewers into the magic of the story. By helping the children hide Crusoe he shows a level of respect adults in this kind of film seldom do (usually adults only exist to scream and endanger the creature).

Of course this Water Horse wouldn’t be so legendary if it didn’t have the special effects necessary to bring Crusoe to life. The technical wizards at Weta (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong) make the most of the film’s $40 million budget and, quite frankly, turn in better effects than many films I’ve seen with three times the resources. While the computer generated Crusoe can appear dated in some respects –either do to budget constraints or technological advances since the film’s release—the character is incredibly expressive and radiates warmth and –when the film calls for it— menace. This is a great computer generated character from the best in the business and because of it the film will age better than most other contemporary family pictures released during the 2000s. Scenes of Crusoe carrying Angus above and below the surface of the Loch are simply breathtaking and are sure to fill you with a childish sense of wonder.

If you have children or simply want a well-acted fantasy film I can’t recommend this film enough. It isn’t without its flaws, but it more than makes up for them with its radiant heart and top-notch acting performances. In a sea of mindless children’s films which profit on crude humor and slapstick Water Horse is a genuinely heartfelt motion picture which I wish we’d see more of. Many people –myself included- missed out on this film at the cinema in 2007 but I promise you this is a film worth sharing.

There is a kind of magic in the cinema, especially when seen through the eyes of children. The Water Horse has that magic, and I know beyond reason of doubt that when I have children and they’re old enough to watch their first movie films like The Water Horse are going to be at the top of my list. For that reason I am giving this film my highest recommendation.