2008 Woodie Awards
Crusoe in Loch Ness
Robert Dora
Issue date: 1/21/08 Section: Entertainment
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep features the talent of two new young stars, Alex Etel and Priyanka Xi. The film takes place in Scotland, near Loch Ness, during World War II. The movie show the development of a young Angus MacMorrow (Etel) as he matures, with the help of a little magic, of course. Angus finds a large, rock-like egg as he's wandering the coast. The egg hatches, providing Angus with a new friend to help lift him out of the misery he's endured during the previous year.
If you put the mystical elements aside, the film is, essentially, a standard coming of age story. Angus has a "Water Horse" to help him, rather than a dog or some other pet. An ex-navy handyman moves into workshop outside the MacMorrow's house. The shed had been used by Mr. MacMorrow before his tour of duty. Angus hates that his father's sanctuary has been taken over, but soon grows fond of the handyman, Lewis Mowbray. Mowbray, portrayed by Ben Chaplin, discovers the creature that the children(Etel and Xi) have been hiding. He tells them the tales of Water Horses that he'd heard as a child.
Water Horse takes its plot from a very clichéd genre. The actors manage to put life into the story. The movie is geared towards a younger audience, and succeeds in that sense. It has moments where it's heartwarming, even though it may be predictable. The movie has a twist, however, as war is very heavily integrated into the plot. The story is set in the midst of World War II. Angus's father has left for a tour of duty, and, in the mean time, a naval unit has come to stay at the MacMorrow household. The military presence, specifically Captain Thomas Hamilton, makes it very difficult for the Water Horse's presence to be kept a secret.
Tales of war and death made the plot more mature. This might help make the film more interesting to adults, but it's a kid's film at heart. Kids and adults will both be entranced by the special effects. The CGI Water Horse, appropriately named Crusoe, is beautifully designed.
As a whole, the movie is fun. The plot is silly and confusing at times, I'm pretty that they showed Stone Henge underwater at one point. It's an exciting spectacle, however. The two young actors, Etel and Xi, look to have a bright future in the business. Kids and Families will enjoy The Water Horse. Any errors on the plot are more than made up for in charm.
If you put the mystical elements aside, the film is, essentially, a standard coming of age story. Angus has a "Water Horse" to help him, rather than a dog or some other pet. An ex-navy handyman moves into workshop outside the MacMorrow's house. The shed had been used by Mr. MacMorrow before his tour of duty. Angus hates that his father's sanctuary has been taken over, but soon grows fond of the handyman, Lewis Mowbray. Mowbray, portrayed by Ben Chaplin, discovers the creature that the children(Etel and Xi) have been hiding. He tells them the tales of Water Horses that he'd heard as a child.
Water Horse takes its plot from a very clichéd genre. The actors manage to put life into the story. The movie is geared towards a younger audience, and succeeds in that sense. It has moments where it's heartwarming, even though it may be predictable. The movie has a twist, however, as war is very heavily integrated into the plot. The story is set in the midst of World War II. Angus's father has left for a tour of duty, and, in the mean time, a naval unit has come to stay at the MacMorrow household. The military presence, specifically Captain Thomas Hamilton, makes it very difficult for the Water Horse's presence to be kept a secret.
Tales of war and death made the plot more mature. This might help make the film more interesting to adults, but it's a kid's film at heart. Kids and adults will both be entranced by the special effects. The CGI Water Horse, appropriately named Crusoe, is beautifully designed.
As a whole, the movie is fun. The plot is silly and confusing at times, I'm pretty that they showed Stone Henge underwater at one point. It's an exciting spectacle, however. The two young actors, Etel and Xi, look to have a bright future in the business. Kids and Families will enjoy The Water Horse. Any errors on the plot are more than made up for in charm.
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