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. 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).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4291 in DVD
• Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
• Released on: 2008-04-08
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• 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

Much better than the trailers
The legend is only one water horse lives per generation. When the old one is ready to die, they lay an egg from which the new water horse is hatched and must grow up on its own as an orphan.

In this case, a young boy named Angus McMurrow found the egg and helped the waterhorse hatch and grow. That's not a mean feat, considering this is World War II and a cadre of British soldiers are staying in the manor house where Angus' family lives. But if any kid is in need of a friend, it's Angus. You see, his father went off to war--and Angus still believes he's going to come back despite being told to the contrary. Angus finds a surprising ally in Lewis Mowbray (Ben Chaplin), a returning soldier who still believes in the old myths and is in need of a dream as much as Angus is.

Of course, the complication is the British soldiers led by a toff commander who's noble father probably stuck him in Scotland to keep him out of the action. They think that the Germans are going to come down Loch Ness and they've got the guns and ammo to take care of the problem if they do. Not a healthy environment for a baby water horse to grow up in...

"Water Horse" is beautifully filmed. It captures the rugged beauty of Scotland amazingly. The soundtrack, by James Newton Howard (of Toto fame and too many soundtracks to name) is gorgeous. The music is perfect--as always.

Warnings:

Kids younger than five had problems with some of the scenes and a couple had to escort their frightened parents out into the lobby

"Seeing Is Believing"
Crossing a tale between an explanation of the fabled Loch Ness Monster with the backdrop of World War II, `Deep Water Horse' comes across as `Pan's Labyrinth' for children. Full of whimsy and brimming with innocence, the movie is a harbor for the imagination.

Taking place in Scotland where the legend of Loch Ness has allegedly been spotted, an elderly man engages a couple at the local pub where he relates a fabled adventure of the past. Transporting us in the narrative to 1942, Angus MacMorrow examines some "magical shells" around Loch Ness to collect and take home. His father has been absent from The War for about a year now. Angus (perfectly cast as Alex Etel of `Millions' fame) spots one and takes it home to his father's workshop where he tries to pry through its exterior to find dazzling layers beneath. Being called away, it is a short time later that noise in the shop alerts him of some new development. Angus to his astonishment sees a creature waddling on the floor of his father's shop. Looking much like a cross between a seal and a platypus, the awkward young thing soon takes a liking to Angus who feeds it and makes some space for him in a bucket of water.

The trouble is Crusoe, as he soon names him, grows very quickly. Trying futilely to keep him from his sister, Anne (Emily Watson), his mother (Lorraine McDonald), and a newly hired hand, Lewis (Ben Chaplin), he, nevertheless, puts him in the bathtub. Soon everyone except his mother is in on the secret, but once he grows too big, it is apparent he must let him go back to the water to accommodate his amphibious nature.

Enter the Scottish army. While they laudably provided for the Allies, they do make life uncomfortable for Angus and will soon do so for Crusoe when they find his presence in Loch Ness. Captain Hamilton (David Morrissey) is a reassuring presence for his mother, who certainly could use a man around the house, but the changes are certainly unsettling for Angus, who needs Crusoe as a reassuring outlet and companion. Crusoe is a nice escape for a boy who misses his father and must deal with a surrogate who knows little more than to say, "The boy needs more discipline." (In this way I saw the closest parallel to Pan's Labyrinth.)

The scenes when Angus rides and befriends Crusoe are a highlight of the film, and the playful voyage is filled with nifty special effects. Some of the chase scenes in the harbor and around the house keep a playful spirit to the adventure. Like 'Stardust' and 'Enchanted' before it, 'Water Horse' is an entertaining and fun ride. While some of the elements borrow a bit from the classic 'E.T.,' this film is original and transporting enough in its own right. (Based on the book by Dick King-Smith)

3 Great reasons to see this film;the director,the cameraman and the composer
Don't dismiss this film as a kid's flick folks.You will do yourself a disservice.(Read other reviewer's plot synopses...this is not my reason for review!)

In 2001 I had the privilege to work for director Jay Russell when he was here in Baltimore to film his second feature film Tuck Everlasting.His first film had been a sleeper hit,My Dog Skip (Keepcase).Russell is a very exacting individual and things will change and change and change until they are what he wants! I admired this in him,and consequently both of his films,very "G" to "PG", are beautifully and wonderfully tender and sentimental and really have staying power.So, though Russell generally aims for wide appeal to all audiences,I knew that THE WATER HORSE would require Kleenex and a huge cheer.I was right.The story is really quite simple as all of his films are...the "truth" behind the fantasy of The Loch Ness Monster of Scottish lore. BUT, there are two other reasons that this Jay Russell film should be viewed by film buffs who can see beyond that this is potentially a "Family Film" only.Russell was able to secure Oscar winning cinematographer Dick Pope (The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Widescreen Edition),Topsy-Turvy,Nicholas Nickleby etc) (see my Listmania ) who in my opinion is unrivaled in camera work in current cinema; and the next reason to view THE WATER HORSE is for top soundtrack composer James Newton Howard's amazing Celtic score (Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep with the help of Ireland's #1 group "The Chieftains" and singing sensation Sinead O'Connor.Russell,Pope and Howard take this film way beyond "just for children" and delight the artist's eyes and ears.There is more to a film than just the story.It is all about the packaging and delivery that makes 'em enduring and endearing.Young and old,artist or not,THE WATER HORSE is a first class trip into excellent film making.