Reviewed by Cassam Looch
Stars Alex Etel, David Morrissey, Brian Cox, Ben Chaplin,
Emily Watson, Bruce Allpress, Eddie Campbell,
Craig Hall, Lorraine McDonald
Written by Robert Nelson Jacobs
Certification UK U | US PG
Runtime 111 minutes
Directed by Jay Russell
Although never hitting the heights that one would expect, this child friendly movie nonetheless manages to entertain and engage thanks to great performances and atmospheric setting. In fact, it has a level of sophistication which might alienate its target audience, instead garnering appreciative nods from parents and guardians.
This is not the overly commercial money-making franchise that we’ve scene from other studios, but it's still a welcome change. A lonely boy in growing up in Second World War Scotland is struggling to cope with his father’s absence. His Mother (Watson) struggles to get by and when an army squadron sets up camp in the grounds of the large house she is looking after things get worse. Angus, the young boy, then finds a mysterious creature and brings it back home concealing it from everyone. When a local handyman (Chaplin) discovers his secret he tells Angus that it is the mythical Water Horse and they must return it to the Loch. However the Army Captain begins to suspect something is going on, and sets about exposing the secrets.
The film is sweet and boasts a heavyweight cast, all of whom rely on the youngest member of the cast to turn in a great performance… which thankfully he does. Angus is suitably dour for most of the film (I dare say suitably Scottish) and his story works on many levels. An enjoyable and worthy kids' flick, which will annoy the Loch Ness purists as a story of reinvention, but does the job for everyone else.