The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (DVD, 2008, 2-Disc Set, Special Edition)

I saw the trailer and the making of The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, I don't know, something about this film just captured me. It just seemed like a really creative story and looked like a great family film. So, I decided to go ahead and check it out and I have to say that it really did live up to my expectations, it was a cute film for the whole family to enjoy. It's a different version of Free Willy I think, lol, sounds crazy, I know, but I think you'll agree when you see it. It's definitely a tear jerker, but one of the better films I've seen in a little while in the theater. It was made very well and I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more notice, but like I said, I think I just saw something special in the story. We haven't had a Lochness monster movie, all we know is the infamous picture that has never been prove to be fake or real, and The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep tells us the story behind that picture.

Agnus is a young and lonely boy in Scotland, his father who he was very close with has just gone off into WWII to fight. His home has just been taken over by English soldiers to fight off the German's. His family has lost something too, life and laughter. But when Agnus comes across what looks like a strange rock, is actually an egg left by an Water Horse, the rarest of all creatures, there can only be one in the world at a time. But he takes care of the baby who is water bound, while protecting him from his mom and the soldiers. But when the water horse, he named Crusoe, has grown too big, he and a family friend put him in the Lochness Lake where he is spotted and is now known as the infamous Lochness Monster.

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep is truly and honestly a good film. It has such a magical touch like The Secret Garden, where it's a serious story, but it's for the family. I thought it was very well made, the visual effects are very good and not over done, which was great, because obviously the Lochness monster is going to be CGI, but they made it look so real, and so lovable, lol, like I said, I did cry, it's a tear jerker. The characters are terrific, they really found terrific actors for the roles. Alex Etel does a beautiful break out performance as Angus and was so charming. I would highly recommend The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, it's one of the best family films I have seen in a while.

Here is a movie that has it all for every age. The boy (Alex Etel) is enchanting and the remainder of the cast is played well. The special effects disc is worth watching as you will wonder how they ever found a monster (Nessie/Crusoe) for young Angus to ride, Angus, grieving for the death of his father in World War 2, gains a new perspective on life with the help of Crusoe as does his mother and most all concerned. Ben Chaplain and Emily Watson are superb. The scenery and life in the castle are the viewing. If you don't enjoy this, I will be highly surprised.

Pros: Good story line, sweet "boy and his dinosaur" movie. Fabulous animation. Touching sentiments about love, loss, and grief.

Cons: Scary and sad in some parts, especially for children.

This movie was a lot different than I expected because, well, I guess because I didn't know what to expect. The twists and turns - and the ending - ultimately made sense but it was a bit of a "downer" getting there.

Baby Caruso is adorable and full of hyjinks while the beautiful bulldog provides both comic relief and some real frights. Children most likely will be affected by both, especially the latter because the audience is geared to root for Caruso, even long after he is "full grown," and enduring some truly harrowing experiences.

I have mixed emotions about the film. It was well done and well acted, though a bit predictable in places. I was surprised at one nasty turn of events and I didn't like that part, but it played into the Loch Ness legend so it was a viable part of the story.

The boy in the film who has found a true friend in Caruso while he waits for his father to come home from war makes you feel his pain. No one who has ever loved a pet - or ever waited for a loved one's return - will be at a loss to understand this movie.

Younger children might be scared or upset by some of the things that happen in this film . . . but, without giving anything away, I'll just say things don't turn out the way you expect.

Overall, I liked this movie and I do recommend it as entertaining to anyone who wants to watch. It is not, however, a film I will watch time and again because I did find its "underlying message" a bit depressing because it's true.

I really enjoyed this movie. It was one version of how the legendary Loch Ness Monster has managed to survive all these years and how the famous fake picture came into being. It is a whimsical tale told by a true believer and one who is also a true witness to the event. I thought the film was well-crafted and well-acted, too. The special effects were as you would expect in this modern day-and-age, but sometimes I had a hard time believing in the creature at some of its phases. Still, the story was so well-done I was willing to forgive the occasional hiccup. I imagine children everywhere will adore this wonderful tale of the loch and of the young boy who finds friendship in a most unusual place! Kudos to all involved!

The movie is set in Scotland during World War II. It starts off with an old man willing to tell the story of the water horse to 2 young people. This movie was really cute and immediately grabbed our 19 month olds attention as soon as the water horse came into the story line. There was never a boring moment in this movie, something was always happening. I disliked the fact though that it seemed to have a reference to free willy in the end. But it all played out just fine. I would recommend this movie to anyone. It was a fantastic movie overall! We haven't bought this movie yet, we chose to rent it and watch it first and then purchase it at a later date to make sure that it was something our son would like before we invested in it.