The Water Horse
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: December 25, 2007 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews
Positive:
21
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
Personally, I wouldn’t take a toddler (unless he was the son of Tarantino) to this intermittently, legitimately terrifying tale of a boy and his Loch Ness monster. But everyone else should blow off "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and show up for the best kiddie picture of the season -- and, along with "Ratatouille," of the year. Read full review
88
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Well-told fanciful tales aimed at children but appreciated by adults are a rarity, and The Water Horse should be savored for the exuberantly entertaining ride it offers. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Like most British family films, Water Horse doesn't dumb down its young characters or insult the intelligence of the audience. It has a lot of sly humor about what we know, or have heard, about the Loch Ness monster. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterStephen Farber
While it boasts a lower profile than many other Christmas releases, it might catch on with parents who want to take their kids to a movie that the entire family will actually enjoy. Nifty special effects and a first-rate British cast elevate this production. Read full review
80
VarietyJustin Chang
Though it strikes some predictable coming-of-age notes, this moving, well-wrought adventure should appeal to fans of "E.T." and Carroll Ballard. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
It declines to take itself seriously, yet manages, sometimes simultaneously, to be exciting, instructive, cheerfully absurd and genuinely affecting.
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
An enchanting tale of friendship and evolvingrelationships, The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep" engagingly grafts coming-of-age movie chestnuts onto Scottish folklore. Read full review
80
The New York TimesLaura Kern
Ffamily-friendly escapist fare that should enthrall, without insult, fantasy-minded viewers of any age. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Combining the best of fantasy and somber reflection, The Water Horse is a lovely ride. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Consider it "Free Willy" with the Loch Ness Monster. It's that kind of family-friendly movie - one that focuses on the friendship between a lonely boy and an animal. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
It's adapted with charming dispatch from the Dick King-Smith story, and served up by the same CGI wizards who animated the critters in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Narnia Chronicles." Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
Few kid films manage to assemble this much ambition alongside this much sincere, sweet emotion. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
The period detail is evocative, Watson and Etel are particularly good, and baby Crusoe -- a computer-generated image seamlessly woven into the live action -- is a slippery little star in his own right. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleSteve Winn
A solidly made wish-fulfillment fantasy set during World War II. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderAndrea Gronvall
Like many fairy tales, this handsome family film concerns a child coming to terms with his fears and the death of a parent. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
A family film in the best sense. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Predictable but entertaining kid movie. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
It's a little corny and somewhat overlong, but a sweet sensibility and stirring adventure scenes make The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep a welcome gift for anyone looking to keep kids entertained over the holidays. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneJessica Reaves
First, a few things The Water Horse is not: revolutionary, controversial or challenging. What it is: a sweet, familiar story, beautifully filmed and lovingly told. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
If you want to take the kids to a cockle-warming tale of humans and computer-generated critters, do yourself a favor: Skip the singing rodents and head for the baby Loch Ness Monster in The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Emily Watson, looking at home in her '40s frocks, plays Angus' mother - coping not only with her son's obsession with what she believes to be an imaginary friend, but also with her own worry and grief about her husband at war. Read full review
60
EmpireAnna Smith
Likeable stuff despite being slow paced and rather sentimental. Read full review
50
New York PostKyle Smith
Adults will sniff out a general air of phoniness - the period detail isn't particularly convincing, and the Scottish factor is overcooked to the point where the script starts to resemble the national cuisine. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyKaren Valby
Parents can trust that none of their wee ones will ask for a stuffed water horse for Christmas. The star of this Scottish fable, about the mythical Loch Ness monster, looks like a raw chicken breast with teeth when he hatches. Read full review
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