Last year was a rarity in (American) monster cinema. Two films were released concerning the life and times of the Loch Ness Monster. The one I will be describing is Water Horse: Legend of the Deep, a children's film about a boy who discovers Nessie. The other film is a made-for-Sci-Fi-Channel horror film entitled Beyond Loch Ness. While I've yet to view the latter, the contrast between the two is startling. Water Horse holds a 6.8 rating on IMDb, while Beyond Lock Ness has only a 4.0 rating. Water Horse earns its above average rating, in most part, due to its interesting take on the child- befriends-creature sub genre. It also boasts impressive camera-work and effective CGI. This is also the first portion of a two-part "Loch Ness Saga" which will include a review of Beyond Lock Ness.<br /><br />The story is told almost entirely in flashback by an omniscient narrator. It occurs in World War II-era Scotland. The narrator, an elderly man, shares a story of a child who befriends Nessie with a visiting American couple. He tells a story of a boy named Angus who had a lonely childhood which was only augmented by his father's enlistment in the Royal Navy. His father's ship was sunk but Angus hasn't surrendered hope for his well-being. He resides with his mother, Anne, his sister, and a handyman named Lewis Mowbray. One day, young Angus discovers an unusual rock in the water and he takes it home. It suddenly hatches into a mysterious reptilian creature and Angus places it in his father's former office. Angus names the creature Crusoe and watches it grow seemingly exponentially. Around this time, an encampment of British soldiers arrives to protect Loch Ness from U-boat invasion (the film presents Loch Ness as connected to the ocean). Crusoe soon becomes so large that Angus's sister and Lewis discover him. However, no one else knows about him. Lewis reveals that Crusoe is a "Water Horse," a mythical one-of-a-kind creature which protects the environment. Only one Water Horse can exist a time and the old one lays a single egg when it dies. Once Crusoe becomes adolescent, Angus hides him in a bathtub, but he escapes. Hilarity ensues as a soldier's bulldog (cutely named Churchill) chases Crusoe around the house as Angus and Lewis attempt to rescue him.<br /><br />Angus reluctantly agrees to release Crusoe (who is now the size of a draft horse) into the loch. A few days later, Crusoe emerges from the loch as an adult and beckons Angus to follow him. While he is ironically afraid of the water, Angus agrees and makes several subsequent journeys with Crusoe. On one trip, British officers accidentally fire at Crusoe during a demonstration for Angus's mother. Crusoe becomes distraught and doesn't allow Angus to ride him any longer. Soon thereafter, two comedic relief fishermen "catch" Crusoe on their line and later attempt to photograph him for profit. They realize the impracticality of such an endeavor so they fake the photo which becomes the famous "Surgeon's Photo". However, since the fake photo was released, some soldiers in the Allied camp become interested in finding the "creature" as Crusoe is called. As time passes, Crusoe recovers and Angus is finally able to ride him, but a group of soldiers discovers Crusoe and attempt to slay him. They fail to detain him but the soldiers alert their superiors who interpret Crusoe as a U-boat. They fire mercilessly and raise a U-boat capture net which separates Loch Ness from the greater ocean. Crusoe jumps over the net and is finally free. At the conclusion, the elderly man reveals his identity as an older Angus to the American tourists. Just outside, a young boy discovers a strange rock in the water Water Horse: Legend of the Deep channels the same fantasy-within-war quality that Pan's Labyrinth does, albeit to a lesser extent since it follows the tropes of its genre so well. Crusoe and Angus's fantasy world in war-torn Britain is especially appropriate for a children's film. It embodies the otherworldly interests that so many youngsters have while providing a realistic backdrop for parents. The World War II backdrop is successful in maintaining adult interest as actual battle strategies, weaponry, and military equipment are included. I can't help but wonder if Allied encampments (not in combat zones) were similar to the one here. It's this quality that distinguishes Water Horse from other family films (such as the more recent Kit Kittridge) which are focused on child audiences and lose appeal for older viewers. Director Jay Russell also invests much effort into incorporating computer animation into the motion picture. Crusoe is vividly polished and does not appear to be a computerized beast in any way. He appears as real as Churchill who relentlessly chases him. The underwater scenes as also adroitly crafted. Much detail is given to the background and other aquatic life. If you can remember the imaging from the underwater portion of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, then you can visualize the bottom of Loch Ness, yet Russell's lake bottom is of a bluish color. The CGI effects are well-rendered enough to create another duality with traditional method acting around the camp. Few enhanced effects are visible when Crusoe is off screen. <br /><br />While the film is both well-constructed and properly presented, its absolute adherence to its sub genre prevents it from being great. As one expects, Crusoe helps Angus overcome his father's death. Anne refuses to acknowledge Crusoe's existence until she actually sees him, and the narrator is, of course, an aged Angus. This predictability has led to many comparisons between Water Horse and Free Willy. While the two films are similar, Free Willy offers very little for an adult audience. It's the same recycled post-E.T. family film we've seen for decades now. Water Horse, at least, provides an interesting approach to this formula, and is mature enough to entertain adults.