Jay Russell
The Water Horse

Here it is. A family film. A story for children but also for adults.

This "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" manages to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat until the last second. Based on the book of the same name by Dick King Smith and directed by Jay Russell, the film was something surprising for me. Disappointed by mediocre fantasy films (see the second installment of The Chronicles of Narnia), I approached this film with the fear of wasting two hours. However, despite some small flaws, this made in England feature convinced me and also convinced the critics, who received it positively.

Two tourists arrive in a small village. Here they meet an elderly man who claims to know the true story about the infamous Loch Ness monster. Through a flashback, we are told the adventures of Angus MacMorrow (the very young Alex Etel) who discovers an egg that will later reveal the presence of a small sea creature. After renaming it Crusoe, our young adventurer becomes friends with the creature, and a bond that becomes increasingly inseparable is formed...

Set during World War II, "The Water Horse" focuses on emotional bonds. Angus sees his father leaving for the war and loses a fundamental point of reference. For this reason, he sees his new "friend" in Crusoe. Living with the soldiers who settle in his house without the support of a paternal figure is very difficult for Angus to accept. With the help of his sister Kirstie and the handyman Lewis (Ben Chaplin), he will overcome this moment of difficulty.

Jay Russell does his job behind the camera, without overdoing it but also without showing talent. If this work of his will be remembered, it will be mainly for a screenplay, by Robert Jacobs, that knows how to entertain but also move, and the other strong point of the film lies essentially in the special effects curated by Weta, which make Crusoe appear absolutely real. Perhaps one of the "monsters" best executed in cinema in recent years.

Moving on to analyze the negative aspects, one cannot ignore some disputable choices: firstly, the long final scene. Dramatic, spectacularized, whatever you want, but it drags on too long. Despite some convincing episodes (see the chase scene inside the house), the film is balanced by others that are less exciting: I can't understand how, from one moment to the next, the good Crusoe grows enormously with just one meal...

Even though it does not add anything new to the genre, "The Water Horse" is a good entertainment film for children and adults, with some guerrilla subplots that may be a bit out of place. It is, however, a genuine and "fresh" cinematic work that definitely deserves a chance.