THE WATER HORSE
An exciting, uplifting adventure about facing fear and grief.
Should You Watch It?
If your older child can handle scary adventure, The Water Horse is a strong family choice. It is exciting, entertaining, and impressively well crafted, with an uplifting story about facing fear, grieving honestly, and doing the right thing when it is hard.
The film also carries real jeopardy. A boy dreams of drowning. A creature tries to bite him, takes him into deep water, and is shot at with heavy guns. There are frightening swimming sequences, a man nearly killed, a pet dog’s death, and other intense moments. Younger children may be overwhelmed, and even adults may find the film scary.
The movie’s main weakness is spiritual: it offers no positive references to God or Jesus. Still, it presents strong moral themes of family love, loyalty, honesty, and courage. For older children and up, take the trip; for younger children, choose something gentler.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESDuring World War II in Scotland, 11-year-old Angus struggles with fear of the water and refuses to accept his father’s death. Then he discovers a mysterious, rock-like egg on the beach.
The egg hatches into a small amphibious dinosaur. Angus names it Crusoe and, with help from his sister Kirstie and a new handyman named Lewis, tries to hide and protect the creature. But Crusoe grows quickly, and soon the Army and the townspeople become part of the danger.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is one of the more exciting, uplifting, and impressive movies of its year. The film is well made, entertaining, and filled with tremendous realistic qualities despite its fantasy premise.
Its strongest work comes through the adventure and atmosphere. Crusoe’s swims through Loch Ness are thrilling, while the film’s many jeopardy scenes create genuine fear. The story also gives Angus a meaningful emotional journey as he faces his fears and begins dealing with his father’s death.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral worldview without apparent Christian content. It values family love, loyalty, honesty, and doing the right thing even when it is difficult. Angus begins by denying his father’s death, but his journey leads him toward courage, maturity, and a willingness to move forward.
The story treats the water horse as fantastic realism rather than occultism, wishful thinking, or New Age spirituality. However, it contains no positive references to God or Jesus, apart from light exclamatory profanities. Its central moral lessons are sound, but its spiritual vision remains incomplete.
The film’s longing to face fear and move through grief connects with Scripture’s call to courage: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral worldview with no apparent Christian content but dealing with issues like grieving, loyalty, honesty, family love, doing the right thing even when it’s hard, and facing one’s fears; three obscenities and five light exclamatory profanities; boy dreams of drowning, dinosaur creature tries to bite boy, large creature shot at with heavy guns, dog chases baby creature around house and wreaks havoc, creature cut by glass, creature takes boy deep into loch, scary swimming sequences, man grabbed in monster’s mouth and almost killed, creature kills pet dog, and creature destroys boat; kissing, a reference to couple going off to have sex; no nudity; drinking; pipe smoking; and, light pacifism.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Angus tries to deny his father’s death before he learns to face his grief. Why can denial feel safer than honesty, and how can God meet us in sorrow?
Psalm 34:18 · 2 Corinthians 1:3–4Angus protects Crusoe even when doing so is difficult and frightening. What does loyalty look like when it costs something?
Proverbs 17:17 · John 15:13The film centers on facing fear. What is the difference between courage and pretending not to be afraid?
Psalm 56:3–4 · Joshua 1:9The characters must choose between protecting what is right and doing what is easy. When have you had to do the right thing under pressure?
Micah 6:8 · Galatians 6:9The Final Word
The Water Horse is a thrilling, uplifting, well-crafted adventure with strong moral themes. Its frightening jeopardy makes it unsuitable for young children, and its lack of positive faith references leaves something missing. For older children and adults, our answer is WORTH THE TRIP — OLDER CHILDREN AND UP.
