When a lonely young boy named Angus discovers a large, mysterious egg along the shores of Loch Ness, no one is prepared for what lies within. He soon discovers that the strange, mischievous hatchling inside is none other than The Water Horse, the loch's most mysterious and fabled creature! But with the Water Horse growing ten times its size every day, Angus finds it increasingly difficult to keep his new friend a secret. Two-time Academy Award(r) nominee Emily Watson (1998, Hilary and Jackie; 1996 Breaking the Waves), Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line), David Morrissey (The Reaping) and Brian Cox (Running with Scissors) star in this heart warming tale from director Jay Russell (Tuck Everlasting) and written by Robert Nelson Jacobs (Flushed Away).
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. Into this intriguing drama comes a completely different element, a fantastical creature of Celtic mythology that befriends Angus and is, in fact, the sea-beast who will eventually be known as the Loch Ness Monster. Trying to hide the dinosaur-like fellow, nicknamed Crusoe, Angus enlists Lewis to transfer it to the lake, where boy and serpent have extraordinary adventures together until human stupidity threatens Crusoe's existence. A true family film, there is a lot for adults to like about the grownup story in The Water Horse. Meanwhile, the wistful relationship between Angus and Crusoe--each of whom helps the other move past obstacles toward their individual destinies--will leave children feeling both happy and melancholy in the best possible sense. Directed by Jay Russell (My Dog Skip), The Water Horse is the best of a mini-genre of films about or inspired by old Nessie. --Tom Keogh
Beyond The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep
On Blu-ray
Paperback Novel
CD Soundtrack
Stills from The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (click for larger image)
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
The Kid Should Have gotten The Bends!:
I haven't been able to watch the entire movie, it goes through long spells of people in war tiem doing something. Can't hang around long enough to care. Maybe the budget was short and they could only do a little story about the Waterhorse and then plump out the movie with the people parts. ZZZzzzzzzzzz...... On the plus side, the cinematography was phenomenal, the music score ditto, the FX on the Waterhorse likewise. But why didn't the kid get the bends when the Waterhorse took him down very deep, very... more info
Good story, Beautiful scenery:
I picked up this DVD at a Blockbuster closeout. My three-year-old daughter has been watching "Dinosaur" over and over and over again for about a year now, so much so that we just replaced our scratched-up DVD with this Blu-Ray. Since I've watched it repeatedly, too, I find it to be a pretty good movie. (Good thing she didn't fixate on Night of the Comet.) It's a good story, so much so that I don't want to spoil it for you here, with good characters and beautiful scenery. Each time I watch it, I catch... more info
great product:
This was a wonderful film that I enjoyed very much. I would recommend it to anyone. It will please everyone and even bring a spark of happiness to them.
The Water Horse - Legend of the Deep:
An enchanting tale of friendship and evolving relationships. A winning family film, a solidly made wish-fulfillment fantasy.
