THE WATER HORSE/DREAM RIDE

This remarkable beast deserves a proper name. As per Godzilla, ET, and King Kong. Any ideas what might fit such a cute animal tale?

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The adventure starts with a lovely setting, in a pristine rural Scottish landscape.

And it is peopled with charming folk, including Ben Chaplin (making friends, above), Emily Watson, David Morrissey, Brian Cox and a pack of other British luminaries.

Then, one day, Manchester’s impish Alex Etel (playing Scottish lad Angus MacMorrow) stumbles upon a wonderful egg that hatches into an endearing, cuddly thing, which is apparently a Water Horse.

Names anyone? No, plain WH simply won’t do.

The trouble with the said Water Horse – oh, let’s call him Pee Wee, for the moment – is that, after charmingly amusing Alex’s family with his escapades around the house, in the bath and elsewhere, he grows up.

Big time.

First, to the size of a large dog, which is troubling enough. Then to something more like, well, like a genuine horse. And finally to something much more elephantine.

By this stage he has definitely outgrown the Pee Wee title, and outgrown the sanctuary of the MacMorrow household as well.

Next stop, the neighbouring loch, conveniently named Ness – yes, as in Loch Ness – and the next thing you know the cuddly pet is being harassed as a monster.

If only he had had a proper name to begin with!!!

Something even like Willy. Then he would have been called simply Loch Ness Willy, which is much more endearing obviously than Loch Ness Monster.

Speaking of names, the visual effects here are from the minds behind the Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings among other stunning performances, so there is no shortage of fanciful flair to entertain the eye.

The Water Horse opens nationwide on February 8th.

Filed February 3, 2008.