The Water Horse

2007 • 111 minutes

About this movie

A young boy named Angus takes home a mysterious, enchanted object he finds on the beach. He soon realizes that it is a magical egg, and finds himself having to raise an amazing creature: the mythical "water horse" of Scottish lore. As he tries to hide his new friend from those who would try to capture him, Angus begins a journey of discovery, facing his greatest fears to protect a secret that would give birth to a legend. © 2007 Revolution Studios Distribution Company, LLC, Walden Media, LLC and Holding Pictures Distribution Co., LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ratings and reviews

I knew nothing about Jay Russell. But his direction and the screenplay by Robert Nelson Jacobs has proved that they have provided some sharply intelligent craftsmanship. The movie's narrative is written by Dick King-Smith is unpretentious and captivating; In Scotland, a young boy named "Angus" (Alex Etel) who found an unusual rock at the bottom of a small creek, but it turns out that the rock was an egg. And inside the egg was a strange Celtic creature called a water horse, Angus named the water horse "Crusoe" after Robinson Crusoe, and Crusoe is an orphan and the last of his kind, so Angus must raise him and vigorously protect him at all costs, but as the creature grows bigger from drinking so much water that he swam in, the secret becomes more challenging to keep hidden and it would be impossible to keep his new pet safe from the Scottish military army who are very unaware and utterly careless. This film does have a familiar formula that we see in E.T. and Free Willy, but Russell does a phenomenal job being fully aware of painting cliches and making it a rip-off, by developing new ideas for an understandable reason, especially for the fact that this film has a new approach for something legendary; instead of a space creature that tries to talk, it is a creature that represents the loch ness monster, and it doesn't speak. Russell also has a great sense of timing for any mood the he comes across, and he has some ambitious plans to keep the whole family satisfied without losing focus on the narrative, and the entertainment value surprisingly succeeds; It's entertainment value is hugely enjoyable and uplifting for the entire family. It's a refreshing movie about an odd-couple with an approach to monsters of myth and legend. Jay Russell also makes the actors on set to take their roles very seriously, because Jay portray these characters as real life people. Speaking of the cast, the acting from the whole ensemble of actors were absolutely exquisite; it adds so much weight to the character drama, and the characters here are very strong due to how realistically handled the chemistry was between Angus and his family and his fellow Scotishmen. The Special effects are superbly executed and very convincing, Crusoe is a realistic CGI creature that will make one say "be hold!", and along with the great acting that pumps up the emotion, the facial expressions and sounds of Crusoe also provides poignant charm, There are times where Crusoe is very cute and amusing when he gets into curious mode, when he swims gracefully, and show great affection, and that is what makes this kind of pleasantly charming display. The movie is visually stunning; the cinematography is very gorgeous and breathtaking to look at; The movie was filmed in Scotland and New Zealand which gives us some scenery that creates this upbeat and relaxing atmosphere, and there are shots with Angus and Crusoe interacting with each other which is very cute to watch. The music score is composed by James Newton Howard, and his score a rich soundtrack that adds massive gravity to the storytelling and the mood. The score is a beautifully lush and highly dynamic orchestral score with a choir and some Celtic instrumentation to fit the culture of the film. To conclude: The best family film since E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; A rare refreshing charmer with intelligent craftsmanship, a delightfully pleasing atmosphere, and stirring entertainment for the whole family. Highly recommended!

This movie holds a magical experience no matter your age group. I've been watching since it came out and I'm trying 21 in few months. Every time I watch it makes me smile, it makes sad, laugh, and find joy. Depending on what's happening in your life, there can be some helpful advice or lessons to be learned from the movie from a new perspective. It's always different when you watch it with varied emotions. Watch it just once, you might like it.

This movie is so so so AMAZING!!! I really loved the way Alex Etel plays as Angus MacMorrow in the film. The way Angus pets Crusoe is beautiful and Glorious and every time i see it, It makes me Happy! My favorite part of the movie is where Crusoe jumps over the net. A very huge Shout-out to Jay Russell for directing and putting Alex Etel in this film! I swear to God this film is so beautiful!!!