Into the Blu

The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

Posted on 09. Sep, 2008 by Gino Sassani in 1080p, 2.40:1, AVC MPEG-4, Children's, Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish), Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English), Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (French), Reviews, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Sony Pictures

For decades there has been some speculation about a certain Scottish loch and the prehistoric creature or creatures that might inhabit the deep waters. There have been a few pictures, most if not all proven as fakes over the years, depicting something akin to a Plesiosaur. The creature appears to have a long neck and a large body supported by fin-like appendages. By now the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, as it is often called, is a staple of modern mythology. Whether truth or fiction, the small Scottish countryside has made a bit of a cottage industry from the fabled creature. Of course, it is as children that we are the most fascinated with such things. There’s that age when we’re apt to believe almost anything, especially if we want it to be true enough. Water horse: Legend Of The Deep is directed at just such an audience, purporting to unveil the true story of the Loch Ness Monster.

As the film begins a young American couple stop into a small Scottish pub to admire the local culture. There they are mesmerized by a framed copy of one of the more famous fake pictures of Nessie. It’s fake, of course, and everybody knows it, but one old gentleman offers to tell the young lovers the rest of the story. And so, without tourists, we settle in for the story of a legend:

Angus (Etel) is a young boy who finds something remarkable among the rocks lining the shoreline of Loch Ness. We’ve seen enough creature features by now to know exactly what young Master Angus has discovered. On an appropriately stormy night the egg hatches and our young monster, as well as our story, is born. Angus begins to care for the animal and the two bond. Angus’s father is missing in the action of World War II, and he is desperate for something to care about. He attempts to keep it a secret even when a military regiment is billeted at his home. He names the creature Crusoe after the famous Daniel Defoe novel. Angus enlists the help of his sister, Kirstie (Xi) and hired handyman Mowbray (Chaplin) to keep Crusoe hidden. The more the thing eats, the faster it grows, and soon after a solid half hour of slapstick and humor, the creature must be released into the wilds of the Loch. Once free, he grows to enormous size. Tension begins as Angus realizes that the soldiers at his house have a mission to trap German subs in the loch and then blast them out of the water. As expected the soldiers mistake Crusoe for a sub. His head looks like a periscope to one half blind lookout. Before long the artillery is blasting the water and it’s driving Crusoe to madness. Of course, Angus must try and rescue his friend, putting his own life as well as those of his family in danger.

The whole affair has the feel of a Disney feel good film. It’s not really anything we haven’t seen a hundred times or so before. Still, it’s a pretty entertaining film. The creature, particularly in its small stages, reminds me a lot of the creature in the short-lived television series Surface. The F/X are good enough, but Crusoe never looks entirely real to me. There are times when he blends in almost flawlessly with his practical environments and others where he is so obviously an effect. Some of the surface splashing appears out of sync with the animal’s movements. None of this will matter to the target young audience, so perhaps is not that big of a deal. The only problem is with adults who are used to a little better blending of fantasy and reality. There’s a rather nice moment when we see the famous fake picture being staged; all the while the real creature is just on the other side of the hill in all his glory waiting to be photographed. In fact, I’d say the strongest thing the film has going isn’t the F/X creature, but the rather nice way the film integrates the culture of the area and the eventual legend of Nessie into the story. There are some subtle nods to both sprinkled throughout the film. The movie was filmed in New Zealand, but some of the cinematography looks very much as I would expect the countryside of Scotland to appear. I’m sure many of these shots are CG enhanced or even straight CG, but they are very well done, giving the audience a genuine feeling of being there.

Video

Water Horse is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. This is an absolutely lovely presentation. The disc uses an AVC/MPEG-4 codec to provide a simply stunning 1080p image. I was blown away by some of the visuals in this film. There is a moment only 5 minutes in where some of the water peeks through the rocks where Angus finds his egg. The depth of blue of that water and the startling contrast to the grays and tans of the beach is remarkable. The countryside vistas are vivid in both color and detail. There is a lot of subtle haze that depicts the Scottish climate perfectly without spoiling the splendid color. Instead of obstructing the image, this subtle mist only brings even the most still of images to life. Flesh tones are too pale, and there are moments when the film is a bit too bright. It’s during these moments that the picture is a glossy shiny thing, far too much so to be real. You won’t find a sharper picture. Mountains, brooks, and trees look splendid here.

Audio

The Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio doesn’t pack the same punch as the image. There are moments when the mix is too aggressive. I felt like someone was forcing me to feel depth where maybe I shouldn’t. I would have preferred a more subtle approach. The sound is crystal clear and adds a sense of realism when the surrounds don’t feel forced. Water, particularly, has a sloshing sound that brings back memories of my own childhood on the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in New Jersey. Dialog is clear most of the time, but I did find a few moments where other sounds or even score appeared to overpower the dialog. The James Newton Howard score is not one of his best. He seems to have a lot of trouble finding the mood, and it is distracting more often than not. During the Angus riding Crusoe scenes, the score is at its rousing best, but perhaps still a bit too loud.

Special Features

Virtual Crusoe Game: This is one of those virtual pet games that kids bore with quickly. You have a mood meter and you attempt to keep your water horse happy by feeding or playing with him.

Deleted Scenes: There are 8 of them, and you have the handy play all option, or you can pick them out as you wish. Most are mere extensions of material already in the film. There is one notable exception in a scene that should have remained in the film. It’s a tender moment where we learn why Robinson Crusoe is so important to Angus. It further explains the situation with his father that is really unclear for too long in the film.

Featurettes: There are 6 featurettes that you can play individually or all at once. Together they run for over an hour. The subjects covered are: Myths and Legends, The Story, The Characters, Setting The Scene, Waterworks – Creating The Water Horse, Creating Crusoe.

Final Thoughts

It’s true that there really isn’t anything new in this film. It is still worth at least a rental, particularly if you have little ones. It’s a harmless enough film that will have strong appeal to the young ones and be a good fun ride for us older folks. The creature isn’t anything spectacular either, but he will tend to grow on you, literally. Of course, your kids are going to want one. After all, “He’s very friendly”.