Following the massive success of The Chronicles of Narnia, Walden Media has brought to life another fantasy novel… The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. The film, like the novel, recounts the story behind the myth of Scotland's famed Loch Ness monster.
8 year old Angus MacMorrow discovers a big black shell in a rock pool at Loch Ness during WWII. He decides to take it home to clean and inspect it further. That night the shell hatches and a strange creature emerges… a Water Horse. Angus then cares for it until it can be returned to the sea its home.
Those clever chaps at the Weta workshop in New Zealand - who brought us King Kong and The Lord of the Rings - are responsible for bringing this pre-historic creature to life and once again they have done an incredible job.
The CGI is just stunning. The creature is so cute and real that you want to run out to a pet shop and buy one… that is, until it grows up.
The performances are sweet from all the kids and Australian actor, Marshall Napier is terrific as a gruff cook who strangely resembles his bulldog, while Emily Watson is stoic as the lonely mother.
The script was a little too neat to elevate the film to outstanding. It lacked character development and the story lines weren't properly fleshed out. However when it was just the little boy and his creature, the film took on a magical feel that I'm sure will delight.
This is definitely one for the kids… though not too young… it is quite moody and scary at times. The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep rates 3 stars.
