| | | How Do You Keep a Secret This Big?
Features: DVD, Special Edition, Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.40:1, French
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 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).
"Combining the best of fantasy and somber reflection, The Water Horse is a lovely ride." Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
"...should be savored for the exuberantly entertaining ride it offers." Claudia Puig, USA Today
"...exciting, instructive, cheerfully absurd and genuinely affecting." Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
"An enchanting tale of friendship..." Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times
"Family-friendly escapist fare that should enthrall, without insult, fantasy-minded viewers of any age." Laura Kern, The New York Times
"The most wondrous film of its kinf since E.T." Pete Hammond, Maxim
"...a movie that the entire family will actually enjoy. Nifty special effects and a first-rate British cast..." Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter
Editor's Note
Based on the novel by BABE author Dick King-Smith, THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP is set in Scotland during World War II, and focuses on Angus (Alex Etel), a young boy who discovers an unusual egg at Loch Ness. When the egg hatches to reveal a dinosaur-like creature, Angus finds that he has a unique pet--a mythical "water horse," which he names Crusoe. Complicating matters are Crusoe's fast growth rate and soldiers stationed near the lake, factors that make it very tricky to keep the friendly beastie a secret. A thoroughly likable family film directed by Jay Russell (TUCK EVERLASTING), THE WATER HORSE provides an intriguing spin on the classic boy-and-his-dog tale. While Etel, who won over audiences in MILLIONS, ably carries the movie, he is supported by a topnotch ensemble that includes Emily Watson as his mother, newcomer Priyanka Xi as his sister, and Ben Chaplin as a good-natured handyman. Primarily sharing the screen with Etel, however, is the Loch Ness Monster-in-the-making, which is wonderfully rendered by Weta, the company behind the digital effects for THE LORD OF THE RINGS films. Both cute and--in his larger state--intimidating, Crusoe strikes up a surprisingly believable relationship with Angus, providing the heart of this beautifully photographed story.
| Features | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound | | Audio: French Dolby Digital Stereo | | Deleted Scenes | | Dubbed: French | | Featurettes: Waterworks, Creating Crusoe, Myths & Legends, Setting The Scene, The Story, & The Characters | | Includes Both Widescreen & Full Screen Versions Of The Film! | | Interactive Game: Virtual Crusoe | | Interactive Menus | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, French |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Sony Pictures |
| Release Date: 4/8/2008 |
| Running Time: 112 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 2007 | | Catalog ID: 18456 | | UPC: 00043396184565 | | Number of Discs: 2 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English, French Dubbed | | Available Subtitles: English, French | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Anamorphic Widescreen/Standard 2.40:1/1.33:1 [4:3] |
| Cast & Crew | Alex Etel | | Ben Chaplin | | Brian Cox | | Emily Watson | | Barrie M. Osborne - Producer | | Charles Newirth - Executive Producer | | Dan Hennah - Art Director | | Dick King-Smith - Based On Book By | | James Newton Howard - Original Music By | | Jay Russell - Director | | Mark Warner - Editor | | Oliver Stapleton - Cinematographer | | Robert Nelson Jacobs - Screenplay | | Tony Burrough - Production Designer |
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| | Professional Reviews | New York Times
"[T]he film consistently evokes an authentic sense of time and place and features remarkable computer-generated graphics work..." 12/25/2007Los Angeles Times
"An enchanting tale of friendship and evolving relationships, THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP engagingly grafts coming-of-age movie chestnuts onto Scottish folklore." 12/25/2007 Sight and Sound
"[A]lthough it has some whizzy special effects, it's a pleasingly old-fashioned tale....The depiction of wartime rural Scotland is beautifully drawn." 02/01/2008 p.88 Empire
3 stars out of 5 -- "[A]s family friendly fairy tales go, it's charming..." 03/01/2008 p.61 ReelViews 8 of 10
Consider it Free Willy with the Loch Ness Monster. It's that kind of family-friendly movie - one that focuses on the friendship between a lonely boy and an animal. In this case, the animal happens to grow up to become Nessie. The story is clever and heartwarming enough for the film to work on some level for adults and children (although it skews younger). Plus, the CGI work is competently done. Crusoe (as the Loch Ness Monster is called) is suitably cute and cuddly when he's small and imposing when he's big. The special effects are properly integrated into the story; there is no instance in which they call unwanted attention to their existence...It's getting increasingly harder for any family feature to compete with the assembly-line productions coming out of Disney and Dreamworks, so I'm glad to report that this is at least as good as any of them. The inclusion of the dinosaur-like monster is a great way to up the "coolness" factor of the movie, and it has more heart than one might initially suppose. Like most fables, the story is a little obvious but that won't be a problem for the target audience and it doesn't diminish the emotional impact. The Water Horse is solid family entertainment of an unusual kind. - James Berardinelli
Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
If you can't think of three more endearing recent family movies than "My Dog Skip," "Babe" and "Millions," then here's another title to add to the list. "The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" is based on a book by the author of "Babe," made by the director of "My Dog Skip," and stars the hero of "Millions" and it fully lives up to its linage...The movie, set in Scotland but wonderfully photographed in New Zealand, tells the story of a 12-year-old named Angus (Alex Etel) who finds a curious egg on the beach...Like most British family films, "Water Horse" doesn't dumb down its young characters or insult the intelligence of the audience. It has a lot of sly humor about what we know, or have heard, about the Loch Ness monster and various frauds associated with it, and fills the edges of the screen with first-rate supporting performance. Imagine a family film with actors the caliber of Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin and Brian Cox as an old-timer who spins stories in the local pub...Will younger kids be a little scared as Crusoe approaches the dimensions of a whale? Maybe, maybe not. Kids seem harder to scare these days, although I'm afraid some of them will find themselves taken to "Sweeney Todd," which is definitely not for under 13s. What kids will love is Angus' thrilling bareback ride on Crusoe. - Roger Ebert
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