Film Review: Water For Elephants (2011)

Hello lovely people and thank you for taking the time out to read my Blog. This post is dedicated to a fantastic film that I just saw this evening after eagerly awaiting its release for weeks.

Name of Film: Water For Elephants

Saw it at: Loughborough Reel Cinema (not ideal)

Who is in it: Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Robert Pattinson, oh and fabulous old man character, Hal Holbrook!

Out of ten: A solid 9/10

Recommend it: Yesssir

Youtube Trailor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6b2XhXkPpg

I am not going to lie to you, the main reason I wanted to see this film is because I am “Unconditionally and irrevocably in love” with Robert Pattinson. However, I had heard that the film was based on Sara Gruen’s best seller and I have a real anal quality which insists that I MUST read the book, before seeing the film. So, I rushed into Blackwells on Oxford Circus and grabbed myself a copy last week. It took me one train journey back up to Loughborough, and one quiet evening in bed to finish it and I must say, it was sensational. I was infatuated with the characters and the storyline was so gripping, yet so beautifully written that I could tell it was going to be a roaring success as a Romantic Drama Feature Film.

 

Directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, another great film), this feature film combines a gripping storyline, enthralling romance and scenery that is out of this world. The story follows Jacob (R-Patz himself) as a Cornell Veterinary student who drops out due to the sudden death of his parents who leave him both penniless and homeless. He wanders along on a journey of self-discovery, finding himself onboard a train that houses a magical circus, complete with a menagerie of animals.

We are introduced to August, the Circus leader (Christoph Waltz, from Inglourious Basterds) whose portrayal of the character is simply sensational. With a dark humour and outrageous violent streak, August leaves us sitting at the edge of seats. His wife Marlena (played by Reese Witherspoon) was a troubled foster child whisked out of poverty by August, who later married her and turned her into a Circus Goddess. She is the star of the shows, his prized possession…until one of the Horses falls ill and must be put down. The Circus is in a dire financial state and needs a new attraction to gain ticket sales. This is where we meet Rosie. Rosie is a fairly unattractive, aging Elephant with the intellect that can only be compared to Einstein. With Jacob’s Veterinary experience, he is given the opportunity of training Rosie to become to new star of the Cirus.

I will let tell you any more of the story, as the rest is so great with the element of surprise. Some spectacular moments to look out for is the carnage scene towards the end and the beautiful love scene between Jacob and Marlena.

Having said such wonderful things about this film, it is only fair to thrown in the odd negative. And this for me, was the fact that at times, it was a little unclear as to what was going on. Due to the fact that I had read the book, there was a certain element of expectation and I ultimately new the main plot and storylines. However, I went with a friend who had no prior knowledge of the film, and she did struggle to understand some elements of the film that were not explained that well.

Overall, I would highly recommend it. It is definitely worth the $5.00 (my pound sign doesn’t work on my iMac), and watch it with the full experience in the Cinema because the Circus scenes really are sensational. I would give this film a solid 9 out of 10, and will be adding it to my collection of favorite films.

Peace, Love and Hugs,

Olivia x