Best movie of this year hands down!

A Major Disappointment

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007): Dir: Jay Russell / Cast: Alex Etel, Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Priyanka Xi: Compelling family film about those fascinating stories of yesteryear. Young Angus is afraid of water but discovers a rock while wading in the water that conceals a prehistoric creature. It hatches and predictably he befriends this creature while trying to conceal it, just as seen in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. This arrives at a climax that somewhat borrows from Free Willy yet still works. This creature grows to massive size yet maintains a liking to Angus until soldiers arrive and begin firing cannons at it. Set in 1942 with the war in full steam director Jay Russell follows similar patterns that he demonstrated in My Dog Skip. Alex Etel plays the boy who faces his fears in the name of friendship as his miniature pet increases in size to the point where keeping it in the bathtub is useless. Emily Watson plays his mother who yields to the military until she feels that her family is under threat. Ben Chaplin plays a hired hand with military background who ends up helping Angus truck the creature to the sea side. David Morrissey plays the military captain who issues stern orders however the screenplay avoids clichés with an interesting positive side to this character when realizations surface. Priyanka Xi plays Angus's sister. Despite being often corny the theme brings life to the unseen. Score: 8 / 10

I'm so surprised at the low rating that this wonderful movie has received on here.I just saw this and really enjoyed it. The story is great in the way that they wove a Scottish legend into it. The effects are great, too.This is the kind of movie that can be enjoyed by all ages. It's exciting and interesting enough for adults; and, it's not very scary but very 'cute,' so it's perfect for children.There is a very good cast as well, with solid characters and memorable performances...especially the child actor, Alex Etel, who plays Angus MacMorrow. The water horse, itself, is very life-like as well.I highly recommend this movie to all! :)

(I'm watching it on broadcast digital-TV as I write this.) My father emigrated to Boston from Glasgow as a boy early in WW1. I crave Scottish voices & this film supplies them subtly. I could listen to it for hours, so for me it's altogether too short. The magical water-horse domesticates Scottish lore/legend without being unduly hokey. The extended action sequence of Angus (as a boy) riding Crusoe (the mature Water-Horse) on the lake joyously should delight any child & the child within us. The contrast of the accepting Scottish family vs the strutting British Army artillery unit billeted on them illustrates their profound cultural difference: the Scots' beloved pet is the Water-Horse Crusoe, the army's are Churchill, a scruffy bulldog & Victoria, their long-distance cannon. Nothing more need be said, other than: Up Alba! (Think of this as a child's LOCAL HERO.)

A real family that deals with friendships in a realistic fashion. The Water Horse isn't just a cute little creature. It starts off that way, with a number of comical scenes involving a baby monster. It soon turns a lot darker, where the monster is truly a wild creature and capable of great harm. The film holds up as we wonder if the friendship between Angus and monster will hold up. A lot of the film was rather slow, as it took a while to get anywhere. We are given some repetitive scenes, such as baths for the monster, and at least 2 chases involving the monster and dog. I also wasn't a fan of the movie being told as a story. It gave off a creepy vibe from Brian Cox, like he just sits in the pub all day rambling on. The CGI creature is very consistent, and the action scenes do have some dread to them. A nice watch for families, that doesn't patronize nor embarrass.