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Title: Water For Elephants
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| CONSUMER ADVICE |
Parents, the violence is extremely strong and there is a sex scene. Not recommended for pre-teens. Recommended for ages 15 and up. |
I know it’s not popular to say this, but I’m going to say it anyway: Robert Pattinson may be a star in the making. No, he’s not spectacular in this his latest movies, “Water For Elephants,” but he has enough confidence and sex appeal that he just might break out of his “Twilight” fanbase and get to make some real movies. With all the offers being thrown his way, it speaks volumes of his character that he chose this as his in-between project of the upcoming two part “Twilight” finale. And look at this: He acts oppose to two actors who have won Academy Awards and holds his own against them. Not an easy feat to manage. In this film he plays Jacob, a young man who is forced to drop out of college after his parents are suddenly killed in a car crash.
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Not having a home of his own he ends up joining the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Or in other words, he runs away and joins the circus. There he puts his knowledge of animals to use and becomes the circus vet. He also falls in love with Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), who is the main star of the show. Throughout the film director Francis Lawrence does a great job of visually showing us his inner feelings for her with camera angles, lightening, and music. He lets us see her the way HE see’s her, and in the process we know exactly how he feels! This same great visual punch is used during the many circus acts, and gives the show a flare that is always engaging and rarely boring.
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The story sort of sags a little bit in the love story because it’s not always convincing, but there’s enough there that it never falters. And now, after talking about Pattinson for awhile, I’m going to talk about the main reason this film works so well: Christoph Waltz as the ringmaster August Rosenbluth. Owner of the circus and husband to Marlena, he proves an undeniable fact that most movie goers already know: Sometimes a movie is only as good as it’s villain. Ruling the circus with an iron fist, August can be charming and funny one moment and cruel and ruthless the next. He’s like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off.
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Some of the acts are horrible. You sweat whenever he’s on screen because you’re never sure if he’s going to stay pleasant or if he’s going to snap. I dare say, he gets more violent and brutal than the PG-13 rating suggests. It’s a horrifying performance that is so good it makes the rest of the performances look kind of weak in comparison. His character is so interesting that I actually got frustrated when the movie went away from him and focused on the so-so love story. It’s nice to see him rebound after the dreadful role he played in “The Green Hornet” earlier this year. As a love story I don’t think “Water For Elephants” works quite the way it should, but as a thriller about a controlling mad man the movie takes off. Sort of a weird recommendation I know, but women might want to consider that before picking this for date night.
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