Review: Water For Elephants
Water For Elephants
As the case seems to be with all the good films released the cinema lately, Water For Elephants is based on bestselling novel. We start with a now familiar scene of an old man telling his story before we transported back into his past and Robert Pattinson turns up on the screen looking very tanned and clean cut.
Casting the Twilight heartthrob is always a good move for getting his crazed fans to fill up the seats but Pattinson has to put in a performance to help make this film interesting to his tween crowd as well as attract respect from regular film goers. Luckily he does.
Set during the depression in 1931, R Patz plays a young veterinary student, Jacob Jankowski who is left orphaned after his parents die in a tragic car accident. Left with nothing and no family to turn, he stumbles upon a travelling circus and is lucky enough to get some work. His years studying veterinary prove useful as he becomes the circus vet but this then leds him to spend a lot of time with the boss’s wife Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). And as you would expect, feelings begin to grow and a forbidden romance starts to blossom.
So far since Twilight, R Patz has gone for roles that still have that ‘tortured vibe’ and I can understand why. He excels at them; if aint broke don’t fix it right? As Jacob he is very endearing, taking us along on the journey as he looks after some of the most talented animals you’ll ever see! The chemistry between him and Reese is believable and it grows nicely throughout the film.
Reese Witherspoon does what she needs to in this film, looks pretty and delicate while revealing a vulnerability that allows her to risk the wrath of her husband. As you watch you are willing for them to work out and scared of what the tragedy mentioned in the opening scene will be.
However, Christopher Waltz as the evil ringleader August is what really makes this film work. He switches from cheerful and charismatic to mean and threatening in seconds and he becomes a true villain who the audience can’t help but fear when he’s on screen because you don’t know who he’s going to attack next.
All in all, Water for Elephants is a sweet, touching film. The costumes and visual are perfectly done and the production is second to none. When the film was over the audience was silent for about 45 seconds because everyone in the room was just so moved by the beauty of it all.
But it has to be stated that the best part of this whole film was Rosie, the amazing elephant who everyone will fall in love with. I think a lot of people will be more appreciative of animal rights groups after watching this film.
