Product Description

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.System Requirements:Running Time: 112 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 043396184565 Manufacturer No: 18456

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #535 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2008-04-08
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 112 minutes

Amazon.com
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

Watery and weak
I didn't feel that Crusoe (the waterhorse) was the main character of this movie. He felt very incidental through a lot of it. Like he was there just to play a bit part so the real main characters could have epiphanies. Which is sad, because he and Churchill (the dog) had more personality than most of the human cast!

I will say that this movie was far sadder and more depressing than I would have imagined. Those looking for feel-good Disney fluff should turn away now. There's not a whole lot of happy in this movie. It has a very dark, depressing feel to it despite some of the more lighthearted moments (mostly starring Crusoe and Churchill). The ending was oh so predictable, leaving me with a 'why did I bother' sort of feeling. In fact, the movie as a whole left me flat. The only highlight is that Crusoe really was adorable as a young creature (not so much when he grew up).

Water Horse
This is a fabulous venture into fantasy. The Water Horse is a great example of the depths of love a child has for any creature, even one that is most unusual. It is good viewing for the whole family.

Family film that's a splash hit
This delightful tale of a lonely boy who rears and befriends a mythical beast hits many of the right buttons as far as family-friendly fare goes. Set in the Scottish Highlands, predominantly in the Second World War (a drama-heightening but not overwhelming backdrop), The Water Horse is an unusual but affecting film about friendship - funny, poignant and uplifting. There are a few inauthentic Scottish accents, but there's so much to commend it: beautiful scenery, a satisfying framework, fantastic effects, confident storytelling and an unpatronising tone that doesn't tie up all the loose ends in the way that, say, a Disney film would. Terrific.