Mom Review: The Water Horse
I just got back from seeing The Water Horse. I did not get to go to this movie with my daughter, because her dad took her yesterday, but I did see it with my 6-year-old nephew.
I’ll start off my addressing whether or not I think this movie is appropriate for children. All of the actual content of the film is absolutely appropriate for a child of almost any age. There is no objectionable language (except for the use of the word “bloody” once or twice) and the only time we see drinking is when older men have a drink in a pub or while fishing, and when the housekeeper is kicking back with a drink and the radio during a thunderstorm. There is smoking depicted, but this is Scotland in 1942. Smoking was prevalent.
There are some scenes where a dog chases the Water Horse, who I will call Caruso from here on out. The action may be too intense for small children. I imagine my daughter would have been a little frightened. There is a scene where we see an elk that has been shot by a hunter. It is not gory, but a child is shown acting upset over the sight. We also see gunfire, as the military shoots at Caruso. That could upset small children.
The death of a parent is alluded to and although the references are subtle, most children will probably pick up on the theme. The subject is dealt with tastefully and you see a lot of growth in the characters through their reaction to the matter.
The story of the relationship between Caruso and the boy, Angus, is lovely. It is going to be easy for most any child to relate to the love and affection between these two. Caruso is given very human facial expressions and reactions, so he is a character you do indeed find yourself feeling drawn to and wanting to cheer for during the movie. This is one cute “monster”! The graphics are stunningly realistic and charming, all at the same time. That alone is worth the price of a ticket.
I would say that children ages six and over will come away breathless and starry-eyed.; Younger children may have some scenes they find frightening, but the images and the action are really not harrowing or negative.
As an adult, I loved it for its realistic portrayal of life during WWII and skillful cinematography.
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