The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep

This is a very, very different war film. A bunch of arrogant Scottish Allies have gone to stay at Loch Ness, expecting the Nazis plotting to send submarines through Loch Ness. The funny thing is that there are no Nazis; just one, very famous monster. Given the fact this mythical creature is the protagonist of the film, and it would be natural instinct of a man with a gun to shoot a dinosaur-cum-sea-serpent monster, you can imagine how intrigued I am at how 'The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep' manages to portray the apparently-heroic Allied soldiers as the antagonists.

In the film, one of the main characters describes the legend of the water horse. There can only be one water horse in the world at a time. When the monster grows old, it lays a single egg and cares for it, until it dies and the egg hatches into the next water horse. The water horse is both mother and father to the egg. In the film, the water horse of the World War II era grows up to be the much-loved Loch Ness tourist-whore.

Beside Loch Ness, a young boy named Angus who is terrified of water finds a significant rock buried under other rocks. He takes this rock home and it hatches into the baby water horse, growing magnificently with each passing day. The cute noises the Loch Ness monster makes are adorable and humourous, its reactions are similarly lovable and hilarious, and the animation is done perfectly, with the water horse emitting excellent character and charm.

'The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep' has you literally believing in the Loch Ness monster, taking everything which is being said as if it was real, aknowledging the existence of our loch's great celebrity. You'll watch in enthusiasm as the water horse zooms in and out of the various parts to the loch, you will consistently feel the pain of the poor beast and you'll sit back in soothing satisfaction at every gracious leap of the monster. The scenery is fantastic, the numerous events which happen equally commendable. Some things which I love about the film is how carefully the story is told to the audience, how the uniqueness and charm of the Loch Ness monster give 'The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep' a prideful sense of humour, and I absolutely adore the effective beginning and the very touching end of the film.

Honestly, I was anticipating this film for ages, but when I went to see it earlier today I wasn't really in the mood for some water-horsing around, yet I came out of the cinema as impressed as ever after seeing that brilliant piece of work. You are gripped to it from the very beginning, and despite what some critics have said, I actually found the pace to work remarkably well. There's barely anything I have to criticise about 'The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep'. Perhaps we could have been treated to some more underwater action and more overhead views of the water horse swimming the lengths of the entire loch. The film isn't predictable as such, there are many things you definitely wouldn't expect from what some might see as a children's fantasy tale, but at times you will have seen a certain part to the film coming. This isn't enough to deprive the film of my praise, though, and if you were sensible you'd go out to see this film as soon as possible.

Five Out Of Five.