“Water for Elephants” is a period-based movie that revolves around a traveling circus trying to prevent itself from going out of business during the Great Depression. Full of romance and intensity, “Water for Elephants” throws circus clowns, African cats, trapeze artists and an all-star cast of actors into a texturally amazing film, but it falls short on content and story.
The film seems to try to achieve a romance of epic proportions, similar to period-based movies like “Titanic” or “The Notebook.”
In the same flashback-style story, the film follows Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson), a veterinary student at Cornell University who drops out of school and runs away from home after his parents’ tragic death. Jacob, in an attempt to leave town, becomes a stowaway on a train. To his surprise, the train is owned by the traveling Benzini Brothers circus.
Jacob falls for the circus life after seeing the awe and amazement it offers viewers in each town. His interest in this new lifestyle is furthered after he becomes instantly attracted to the circus’ main attraction, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). After Jacob is taken on as the circus veterinarian, he is charged with the task of training an elephant with big responsibilities — creating a star attraction that will prevent the circus from going belly up.
From there, the movie follows Jacob’s attempts to win the affection of Marlena while battling her husband, the polarizing ringmaster August (Christopher Waltz), who at one point can seem friendly and calm, and the next murderously psychotic.
“Water for Elephants” is the type of movie that will produce a mixed reaction with the audience. Viewers who prefer story and depth of content will be left hanging, while people who look for visuals will be praising the film as an overwhelming success.
On an aesthetic level, the film has well-orchestrated beauty in every shot. Night scenes inside the circus tent ooze with wonderful colors, and the train scenes are borderline magical. It may seem weird, but the overall beauty and visual execution creates an odd nostalgic feeling for a life as a member of a traveling circus during the Great Depression.
Yet, for viewers who prefer content, the film feels disconnected. Although the driving force of the story is clear as Jacob tries to win the affection of Marlena and discover the purpose of his life, the continuity between scenes is absent. Characters are developed and then forgotten. Certain scenes seem pointless, while others seem to be cut too short. It appears that every time director Francis Lawrence, who directed “I Am Legend,” had to decide between story and visual, he always chose the visual.
The main thought going away from the film is that a quality story exists underneath the beautiful sets and actors. Unfortunately, Lawrence doesn’t give it enough attention to let it come to the surface.
“Water for Elephants” isn’t a failure, by any means. The lack of connection simply hinders the film from achieving greatness, leaving it hovering just above the realm of mediocrity. If anything, the dazzling, depthless film makes you want to check out the book, which may promise and achieve both.
rimondi@dailyemerald.com