User Reviews

I've been looking forward to seeing this movie since I saw the preview for it about a month ago. So I finally had the chance to see it and I was extremely disappointed. I think it had many good points, and it had potential, but the bad things just outweighed the good. I didn't like the beginning, it just kicked the movie off to a boring start, very random and very little to no background of characters. The middle, however, I very much enjoyed. After Ben Chaplin's character showed up, I liked the film. But then it was as if as soon as the movie had begun, it was over. The ending had no climax, I know the climax was suppose to be the Water Horse jumping over the net, but it just wasn't. I felt very let down by this. Also, there were many little stories that had begun, but were never tied up and had NOTHING to do with the film. Ex: Tension between the mother and Lewis, Kristie and the soldier's relationship/tension, relationship between the two cooks, it was all so meaningless. I think if they tied up these loose ends, the movie would have been much, much better. On a last note, I simply LOVED the score for this film, and I think I may buy it soon.

My point in this thread is not to hate, just to simply state my opinion, and I'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

A kids' film about the origin of the infamous Loch Ness Monster has the potential for all kinds of fun and wild adventures, given the monster's rich legend and reported shennaigans.

Alas, this film's unimaginative creators exploit very little of the potential excitement.

OK, so the animation of the baby sea creature is cute and believable. And, there are some fun chase scenes, and a brief bit of lighthearted relief from two shocked fishermen.

But once Nessie grows up we only get a few final and very dark glimpses before it abruptly sails off into the sunset. The filmmakers manage to squeeze in a gratuitous boy-rides- monster scene. But, it is too late, and too little for this fractured fairy tale.

The contrived presence of soldiers that maniacally shoot rounds of shells into the lake is utterly ridiculous and undercuts the film. The premise is absurd. Loch Ness does not directly link to the ocean. This is exactly the mystique about Loch Ness: it is the isolated home of an isolated creature.

That location has no military relevance to WWII. Did the soldiers get lost the way to Dunkirk? One might as well crafted a yarn about deployed soldiers at Niagara Falls.

Once again, the producers got preoccupied with the animation and beautiful setting, but let the story flounder miserably.

Last year was a rarity in (American) monster cinema. Two films were released concerning the life and times of the Loch Ness Monster. The one I will be describing is Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, a children's film about a boy who discovers Nessie. The other film is a made-for-Sci-Fi-Channel horror film entitled Beyond Loch Ness. While I've yet to view the latter, the contrast between the two is startling. Water Horse holds a 6.8 rating on IMDb, while Beyond Lock Ness has only a 4.0 rating. Water Horse earns its above average rating, in most part, due to its interesting take on the child- befriends-creature sub genre. It also boasts impressive camera-work and effective CGI. This is also the first portion of a two-part "Loch Ness Saga" which will include a review of Beyond Lock Ness.

The story is told almost entirely in flashback by an omniscient narrator. It occurs in World War II-era Scotland. The narrator, an elderly man, shares a story of a child who befriends Nessie with a visiting American couple. He tells a story of a boy named Angus who had a lonely childhood which was only augmented by his father's enlistment in the Royal Navy. His father's ship was sunk but Angus hasn't surrendered hope for his well-being. He resides with his mother, Anne, his sister, and a handyman named Lewis Mowbray. One day, young Angus discovers an unusual rock in the water and he takes it home. It suddenly hatches into a mysterious reptilian creature and Angus places it in his father's former office. Angus names the creature Crusoe and watches it grow seemingly exponentially. Around this time, an encampment of British soldiers arrives to protect Loch Ness from U-boat invasion (the film presents Loch Ness as connected to the ocean). Crusoe soon becomes so large that Angus's sister and Lewis discover him. However, no one else knows about him. Lewis reveals that Crusoe is a "Water Horse," a mythical one-of-a-kind creature which protects the environment. Only one Water Horse can exist a time and the old one lays a single egg when it dies. Once Crusoe becomes adolescent, Angus hides him in a bathtub, but he escapes. Hilarity ensues as a soldier's bulldog (cutely named Churchill) chases Crusoe around the house as Angus and Lewis attempt to rescue him.

Angus reluctantly agrees to release Crusoe (who is now the size of a draft horse) into the loch. A few days later, Crusoe emerges from the loch as an adult and beckons Angus to follow him. While he is ironically afraid of the water, Angus agrees and makes several subsequent journeys with Crusoe. On one trip, British officers accidentally fire at Crusoe during a demonstration for Angus's mother. Crusoe becomes distraught and doesn't allow Angus to ride him any longer. Soon thereafter, two comedic relief fishermen "catch" Crusoe on their line and later attempt to photograph him for profit. They realize the impracticality of such an endeavor so they fake the photo which becomes the famous "Surgeon's Photo". However, since the fake photo was released, some soldiers in the Allied camp become interested in finding the "creature" as Crusoe is called. As time passes, Crusoe recovers and Angus is finally able to ride him, but a group of soldiers discovers Crusoe and attempt to slay him. They fail to detain him but the soldiers alert their superiors who interpret Crusoe as a U-boat. They fire mercilessly and raise a U-boat capture net which separates Loch Ness from the greater ocean. Crusoe jumps over the net and is finally free. At the conclusion, the elderly man reveals his identity as an older Angus to the American tourists. Just outside, a young boy discovers a strange rock in the water… Water Horse: Legend of the Deep channels the same fantasy-within-war quality that Pan's Labyrinth does, albeit to a lesser extent since it follows the tropes of its genre so well. Crusoe and Angus's fantasy world in war-torn Britain is especially appropriate for a children's film. It embodies the otherworldly interests that so many youngsters have while providing a realistic backdrop for parents. The World War II backdrop is successful in maintaining adult interest as actual battle strategies, weaponry, and military equipment are included. I can't help but wonder if Allied encampments (not in combat zones) were similar to the one here. It's this quality that distinguishes Water Horse from other family films (such as the more recent Kit Kittridge) which are focused on child audiences and lose appeal for older viewers. Director Jay Russell also invests much effort into incorporating computer animation into the motion picture. Crusoe is vividly polished and does not appear to be a computerized beast in any way. He appears as real as Churchill who relentlessly chases him. The underwater scenes as also adroitly crafted. Much detail is given to the background and other aquatic life. If you can remember the imaging from the underwater portion of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, then you can visualize the bottom of Loch Ness, yet Russell's lake bottom is of a bluish color. The CGI effects are well-rendered enough to create another duality with traditional method acting around the camp. Few enhanced effects are visible when Crusoe is off screen.

While the film is both well-constructed and properly presented, its absolute adherence to its sub genre prevents it from being great. As one expects, Crusoe helps Angus overcome his father's death. Anne refuses to acknowledge Crusoe's existence until she actually sees him, and the narrator is, of course, an aged Angus. This predictability has led to many comparisons between Water Horse and Free Willy. While the two films are similar, Free Willy offers very little for an adult audience. It's the same recycled post-E.T. family film we've seen for decades now. Water Horse, at least, provides an interesting approach to this formula, and is mature enough to entertain adults.

I knew this film was something to do with the myth of the Loch Ness Monster, having seen posters and heard about the plot, and it is based on the book by Dick King-Smith (The Sheep Pig, aka Babe), I was looking forward to it, from director Jay Russell (My Dog Skip, Ladder 49). Basically an American tourist couple go into a bar, they see the famous faked photograph of what was called the Loch Ness Monster, and they meet an old man (Brian Cox) who tells them the story of the mythological creature, this when the film flashes back. In 1942 Scotland, on the shores of Loch Ness lives Angus MacMorrow (Millions star Alex Etel) in a large mansion, with his mother Anne (Emily Watson), his sister Kirstie (Priyanka Xi), a maid, and an old game keeper, the family are joined by handyman Lewis Mowbray (Ben Chaplin), and Angus cannot accept that his Royal Navy sailor father may be dead, he want missing following the sinking of his ship in the war. One day, while collecting seashells in the tide pools, Angus comes across what looks like a large mysterious egg, he takes it home and hides it in his father's shed, and when it hatches it contains an unknown creature, he names the creature "Crusoe", after Robinson Crusoe. Angus decides to keep this creature a secret, until his sister and Lewis find out about it, Lewis says he recognises the creature, from books he has read, he says it is a "Water Horse", it could be a boy or a girl, that it lays one egg, then dies before it can see it hatch, but the three of them will have trouble hiding as he is growing larger very quickly. The house is soon full of troops from the 12th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery, commanded by Captain Thomas Hamilton (David Morrissey), the troops have set up camp at the house, and are also stationed near the lake as defence against possible hiding or attacking German U-Boats, including placing an anti-submarine net at the mouth of the lake. One night Crusoe manages to break free and roams around the house, with the cook's bulldog chasing him, he runs through the dining room, but the dog gets the blame for the mess, while Crusoe spends the night in the fountain feeding on the fish, Lewis finds that he has grown so big, he and Angus know they have no choice but to let him roam free in the loch. Captain Hamilton persuades Argus's mother to let him teach her son some discipline and make a soldier of him, but the boy escapes and returns to Loch Ness to find his much larger friend, who lets him ride on his back, including diving underwater, aquaphobic Angus does eventually learn to enjoy this and overcome his phobia of the sea. This peace for the creature cannot last though, the troops fire a Victoria cannon as a firing demonstration, and Crusoe is shocked the blasts, and getting hit by one of the shots, Angus destroys the cannon to save Crusoe, Hamilton is enraged and Anne slaps her son and punishes him sending him to his room for a month. Two fishermen are amazed by the sight of the monster in the lake, they try to take a photograph to become rich, but with the firing of the cannon and other demonstrations going on they know they cannot capture the real thing, so they create an imitation model, this results in the real-life faked picture of The Loch Ness Monster, also known as "The Surgeon's Photo". The hoax photograph is put in the newspaper, and it does spark the interest of some of the soldiers who venture out on the lake to find the creature and kill it, and they have the bulldog to help locate it, Crusoe still in shock capsizes the soldier boat, but Angus tries to calm him down, only to fall and sink into the water, Crusoe rescues him. Captain Hamilton and Anne see Crusoe for themselves also, but for his own shelter and safety the creature must get away, somehow getting past the anti-submarine net, he manages to crush it with his weight and escape the lake, Angus never saw the creature again, ending his story the old man says that many people have claimed to see the Loch Ness Monster, or "Nessie", over the years, he reveals himself to the couple to be Old Angus, and at the end of the film a little boy is seen on the beach picking up a new mysterious egg. Also starring Marshall Napier as Sgt. Strunk, Joel Tobeck as Sgt. Walker and Bruce Allpress as Jock McGowan. Etel is a good choice as the little boy hiding the mysterious creature, and the adult stars Watson, Chaplin and Morrissey are good choices also, the special effects CGI to bring the creature to life are fantastic, I can see the similarities with E.T., and there was a hint of Free Willy, but the story does not have clichéd sentimentality, it is sophisticated with its approach to wartime events and paranoia, some small sequences may make children shiver, but otherwise all the family watching can enjoy this magical journey, a terrific fantasy adventure. Very good!

Jay Russell directs this fantasy a whole family can enjoy. Very good special effects and interesting story line. A young boy named Angus(Alex Etel)living in 1940s Scotland has been told his sailor father has been lost at sea. In spite of his own fear of the sea, Angus loves to spend his time on the shore of the lake. One day he discovers a mysterious egg and takes good care of it until it hatches into a 'water horse'. He names the little creature Crusoe, who seems to grow larger everyday until he becomes so large he has to be put in the lake; thus becoming the legendary Lock Ness Monster. When German U-boats start to enter the lake, Crusoe's life is put in danger... even if he has grown to monumental size. Exciting, heartwarming story and really a joy to watch. Also in the cast: Emily Watson, David Morrissey, Ben Chaplin, Brian Cox and Priyanka Xi.

There's something about legends of mythical creatures that make them endure - The Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, and yes, the Loch Ness Monster. I didn't know "The Water Horse" was a whimsical telling of the origins of the famous monster, but it was readily apparent once the story got under way. It was rather innovative the way the writers came up with the background story with the egg and all, and I always marvel at the way film makers can make a computer creation look real on screen. The baby water horse in the bath tub looked absolutely real, becoming only slightly less so as it grew into the huge monster of legend. There's an element of whimsy at work in the picture to go with the magic, and as a family viewing experience this one entertains well enough. I would only caution those with young kids that the adult water horse can be a fearsome creature, so prepare the youngsters accordingly. I'd put this film in my list of 'Movies About Horses', but that would obviously be a bit of a stretch.

THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP has the look and feel of an overly cutesy flick with plenty of eye-candy, and that certainly is mostly the case. But it also has a lot of story behind it, too. And what I mean by that is it has several layers of varying stories all unfolding at the same time, something that goes a bit beyond the cute and fuzzy.

It is (no surprise to many) the story of Loch Ness and its infamous monster, but with a twist towards kids and a nod to ancient myth (which isn't very kid-like). The main thrust of the story is given over to a young lad named Angus MacMorrow (relative unknown Alex Etel) and his struggling family as they oversee a nice piece of property near the loch during WW II. Wandering around the shore one day, young Angus happens upon a strange looking stone that he picks up and brings home. Little does he know that what he's found is the rarest of the rare: an egg containing a water horse. He takes the egg into his father's shop (who is away fighting the war) and leaves it one night, only to discover it hatched the following morning. He tries desperately to hide this new creature from his mother, his sister, and an inquisitive but helpful handyman named Lewis Mowbray (Ben Chapin, THE NEW WORLD).

In the meantime we learn that the war is bringing a brigade of men to Angus' family's home; there to prevent German subs from entering the loch via the sea and threatening the Scottish countryside. Angus is forced to hide his new friend (yes, he becomes buddy-buddy with the water horse) from everyone but is eventually forced to release him into the loch as he grows at an incredible rate.

The dangers to the water horse are presented when he (it?) is mistaken for a submarine and is fired upon by artillery emplacements along the banks of Loch Ness. Dangers to the horse, Angus, his family, and everything they hold dear come crashing down as everyone learns (and sees) what Angus was protecting.

Probably most cutesy are the hugs and overly-friendly chumminess that Angus and his new dinosaur buddy have toward one another. But the special effects and scenery (I saw this on Blu-Ray disc) were fairly phenomenal. The colorful heather of the hills against the grayish skin tones of the water horse were impressive (noteworthy: Weta Digital did the special effects, the same company that did THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy).

Surrounding these fantastical events are very human elements. Angus' family hides from him the fact that his father won't be coming home from the war; a heart-wrenching event for Angus considering the closeness he had with his father, and this makes his friendship with the water horse all the more important to the viewer and Angus (who will obviously soon learn the truth about his father's death). There is also a short side-story about Lewis, the handyman who shows up to help the family. Hiding his scars from the war, Lewis doesn't get along with many people, least of all the British Army leaders who are camped alongside the loch. The audience wonders if he's AWOL from the war but soon learn a much more important element about him. There is also the story of a mother trying to protect her family from the horrors of war, even as it sits down right in her own backyard.

The ancient myth that presses itself into the story is in reference to something called a "kelpie", a malevolent beast of Celtic lore that would disguise itself as a horse to lure unsuspecting victims to it. Once mounted, it would drag him or her down to their watery death. Like I said, not very kid-like.

But it was nice to see these additions to what could have been a simple huggy-huggy, kissie-kissie flick. The depth was needed and that, accompanied with some outstanding visual effects, bumped it up to an acceptable viewing.

My family took my 4 yr old niece and her 8 year old half brother to see this movie. Definitely not what any of us expected! The first half of the movie was concentrated on the goings-on of WWII, and didn't have too many 'cute' scenes of the Waterhorse. My niece was understandably bored during much of the movie. We thought parts of the movie were way too scary for young children. Very dark and sad movie, as only a few scenes showed the Waterhorse interacting with the boy. Several families w/ young children walked out of the theater, disappointed in this ''kids'' film. This movie is more suitable for older children or adults.