Water for Elephants (2011)

Water for Elephants (2011) — This movie is only really so-so, but it’s not too bad. I’ve been wanting to see Robert Pattinson in a real movie for a while now because Twilight is no indicator of someone’s acting ability (for God’s sake, even the always-awesome Michael Sheen sucks in Twilight). Now I have seen him in one and he isn’t bad. He’s not all that good either, but he doesn’t ruin the movie or anything (which, being the lead, he is in a position to do). Reese Witherspoon is attractive and sympathetic as the main love interest and the always-amazing Christoph Waltz is intimidating as August, the unethical man who runs the circus. Like Francis Lawrence’s previous films Constantine and I Am Legend, Water for Elephants looks great but runs light on substance, not because it doesn’t deal with substantive subject matter but just because the movie doesn’t feel like exploring any of it with any degree of depth. In the end it comes down to pretty moving pictures. All spectacle with no depth.