Lady in the Water (www.the-usher.com)

"Cleveland, run!"

When building superintendent of the Cove Cleveland Heep (Giamatti) tries to stop someone swimming in the pool after closing hours he falls in and knocks himself out. He awakes in his apartment a few hours later to see a young girl sat next to him. Her name is Story (Howard) and Cleveland discovers that she is not an ordinary girl but a messenger from the Blue World who needs to find a writer that will change the world forever. Danger surrounds her however and it is up to Cleveland and the residents of the Cove to make sure she delivers her message and returns home.

M. Night Shyamalan has always added a little twist to his tales but this time he brings us a bedtime story.

After critical and commercial success with 'The Sixth Sense', 'Unbreakable', 'Signs' and 'The Village', writer/director M. Night Shyamalan was on a role but with 'The Lady in the Water' he may have become a little bit over confident. Developed from a bedtime story he created for his two daughters, Shyamalan tries to mix a fantasy world with the modern world and create a message of hope and peace for these troubled times. He introduces us to the Blue World, were the narfs come from. These nymph-like creatures are sent out from their world to find the humans that can bring about change and then give them a message that will push them in the right direction. One of these people just happens to live at The Cove in Philadelphia but narf Story is facing a battle for her life as the warriors of darkness, wolf-like creatures called scrunts find her and try and stop delivering her message and returning home.

The premise is sound, if a little fanciful, but the execution is a little too over indulgent. Creating the fantasy world that Story comes from is all well and good but when you bring this into the real world and expect people to believe it without question, it becomes a little far fetched. Story just looks like a normal girl but as soon as people see her, they instantly believe anything Cleveland, the superintendent of The Cove, says to them about what she is and why she is here. They are even prepared to risk their lives to protect her against the scrunt. Told each of them have a purpose and a named role in the story, with the guardian, the guild, the healer and the interpreter all have to be found if Story is ever to return to the Blue World and fulfil her destiny.

All of this is very fantasy based and the mix of this with the problems we have in the real world only works if you are able to suspend belief and except it for what it is, a bedtime story. This is a child's story for a family audience that you really have to embrace the world to get the most out of it but if you can't you will really struggle to get anything from this movie.

The cast throw themselves wholeheartedly into their roles however. Paul Giamatti is one of the best actors currently working in movies today and as Cleveland Heep he creates a believable average man who needs to rediscover life again. Bryce Dallas Howard proves again that she is a gifted actress who is going to make waves in Hollywood for many years to come. Jeffrey Wright, Freddy Rodríguez, Cindy Cheung and Sarita Choudhury give there all in smaller parts. Bob Balaban as film critic is a strange character as it blatantly obvious that Shyamalan is having a crack at the film critic community, which is strange as they have been his most hardened supporters. Also the casting of himself as Vick, the human who can change the world could be seen by some as a grandiose step by some, especially when he isn't the most convincing actor in the film.

'The Lady in the Water' is a movie that you will either love or hate. If you can suspense disbelieve and embrace the fantasy storyline that M. Night Shyamalan has created then you will enjoy his bedtime story but for the average audience the film is far too over indulgent and silly for its own good. This is one story that is more likely to send you to sleep than keep you intrigued.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented extremely well.

BONUS FEATURES

Lady in the Water: A bedtime Story (5.00 mins)
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan gives you an inside look at his first children's book based on the world he created for the movie.

Reflections of Lady in the Water (34.59 mins)
Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan, producer Sam Mercer, associate producer Jose L. Rodriguez, creature designer Crash McCreedy, 2nd Unit director/storyboard artist Brick Mason, production supervisor Jim Scaife, director of photography Christopher Doyle, production designer Martin Childs, visual effects supervisor Edward Hirsh, composer James Newton Howard and stars Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bob Balaban, Sarita Choudhury and Cindy Cheung talk about the story, the characters, the look and the location of the movie.

Auditions (2.08 mins)
Watch the additions of Freddy Rodríguez and Sarita Choudhury Deleted Scene (4.47 mins) Five deleted or extended scenes featuring more elements of the story and more of the interaction between Cleveland and Story. Unfortunately there is no commentary or introduction to reveal why these scenes were removed.

Gag Reel (3.13 mins)
Watch the cast and crew have fun on set and muck up their lines

Trailers
Watch the teaser and theatrical trailers for 'Lady in the Water'

Previews
Watch a preview of 'Poseidon'

OVERALL

The DVD treatment for 'Lady in the Water' are OK but nothing that will live in the memory for a long time. Fans will be disappointed with the lack of a commentary track but the featurettes are still watchable.

DVD

The Sixth Sense

Unbreakable

Signs

The Village

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2006