Water for Elephants movie review

STARS Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson lent a touch of Hollywood glamour to Sydney CBD at the premiere of their new movie Water for Elephants.

STARS Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson lent a touch of Hollywood glamour to Sydney CBD last night at the premiere of their new movie Water for Elephants.

Director Frances Lawrence (I am Legend, Constantine) joined them on, according to event organisers Nixco, the 'longest red carpet' (300 metres) in Australian movie premier history.

Jugglers and clowns kept up the circus theme as they entertained the hundreds of spectators who lined Pitt Street Mall and Market Street, while anchor men from video and TV networks wound up the crowds of fans.

"Who have you come to see?" they goaded.

'ROBERT PATTINSON,' the fans screamed back as they waved posters and magazines held at the ready in the hope of an autograph from their idol.

Adapted from the best selling and much loved novel by Sara Gruen, Water for Elephants is a romance set against the backdrop of a travelling circus during America's Great Depression. The cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto and costumes by Jacqueline West immerse the audience in a beautifully rich and evocative period style.

Christopher Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) does a nicely balanced turn as the charismatic circus owner who is also dark and dangerous enough to warrant a cheer from the State Theatre audience when he meets retribution at the film's climax.

Witherspoon (Walk the Line, Legally Blonde) brings a touching mix of courage and fragility to her character of August's wife Marlena.

"You're a beautiful woman who deserves a beautiful life," pronounces the young veterinary student Jacob (played by Pattinson, Twilight Saga, Remember Me), confirming the trajectory of his own destiny for the rest of the movie.

The relationship between him and Marlena lacks strong chemistry, but the tenderness and commitment between them is played and directed well enough to pull the audience with them on their journey.

"I went straight into the edit after shooting," says Lawrence. "Filming for me is a bit like just gathering material; you gather it in the shoot then the movie is made in the editing so there's always surprises with the way things look and sound.

We had very little that we cut out of the movie. In my other films there are usually large chunks that get lifted out and things moved around but this one stayed structurally intact.

Adapting from book wasn't difficult, though it is of course challenging because you're squashing a 14 hour read into a 2 hour movie so there are things that have to be worked at. I worked with a screenwriter (Richard LaGravenese) for months slimming it and slimming it until it was distilled, but it still retains the essence of the book."

Lawrence says it was far more difficult working with animals than any of his A list celebrities but, though the story of rescue and redemption keeps us focussed on the main characters, Rosie the elephant just about upstages them. Pattinson has been quoted as saying his first encounter with Rosie was one of the deciding factors in making the movie and there are some beautifully shot scenes with the animal that show the audience something of why he was so charmed.

Pattinson's character of Jacob is the narrator and observer as well as the catalyst that changes the course of Marlena's life. Pattinson says he was immediately attracted to the role.

"I think it was one of those lucky scripts that I felt connected with almost instantaneously. It was something about the character's voice. I always liked the 1930s, I always liked Gary Cooper and pictured myself in that kind of movie. Then when Hal Holbrook (whom plays the 80 year old Jacob) was cast I looked at his early movies and I saw there's a certain body language (from the era). Then there's being on set and just being in the dust and the dirt; its all built for you, so you can really absorb it."

Pattinson also says his experience of shooting the film "the most fun and easy job I've ever worked on. I'd love it if every movie was like this one; it showed me just how much fun making a movie can really be."

Playing the role must have been a contrast to the white skin, contact lenses and controlled performance as the Twilight saga's vampire Edward. While maybe not the epic film it sets itself up to be, Water for Elephants has an earthy style, sensual texture and natural storytelling rhythm that's a pleasure to watch.

Water for Elephants is on national release from May 12