Review

I haven’t read the book, which is probably best when seeing a movie based on one. There are no comparisons, just the magic of the cinema.

Water for Elephants follows a young man whose life is taken away by an accident. He finds himself alone with nothing and is soon recruited into the circus. He must juggle his new job as elephant trainer along with a growing love for the ring master’s wife.

I’ve always loved elephants, majestic creatures with raw power and brilliant minds, and so I found myself easily sucked in by the amazing creature and its impact on the lives around it. We often forget that animals have a history and a story too, like this soled off circus veteran with its quirky ways. She’ll capture your heart after the first few frames.

As usual Reese Witherspoon is breathtaking, disappearing into her character with ease. Robert Pattinson however is the surprise here. Although he’s done other movies besides Twilight, the Saga is almost unforgivable. With charm and presence he owns the title of real leading man in Water for Elephants, and has officially redeemed himself in my book.

As usual Francis Lawrence beautifully captures every moment, this time meshing the romantic beauty of a travelling circus with the harsh truth of its cutthroat business. Under the hood is a powerful score composed by James Newton Howard that’ll rock you through the emotional rollercoaster that is Water for Elephants.