Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Brenda The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

writers_reign If you're happy to suspend your disbelief for the duration then this is for you. I'd never heard of it before it popped up on TV yesterday and I figured I liked Ted Danson in Cheers and Joly Richardson isn't exactly chopped liver so I'll watch the first reel and see what happens. Okay, forget looking for the monster if I thought there was a lady as lovely Joley Richardson walking around loose in a small Scottish village I'd light out for bonnie Scotland in jig-time. As several posters have remarked here this is a genuine feel-good entry, sort of Disney-lite, with no swearing, no violence to speak of and an offbeat love story thrown in - in fact the girl bringing her single mom together with a prospect she, the girl has picked out is hardly new and I can trace it back to Natalie Wood brokering a romance between screen mum Maureen O'Hara and husband/stepfather material John Payne in the original Miracle on 34th Street but it's no worse for that.

Spikeopath Loch Ness is directed by John Henderson and written by John Fusco. It stars Ted Danson, Joely Richardson, Ian Holm, Kirsty Graham and James Frain. Music is scored by Trevor Jones and cinematography is by Clive Tickner. Plot sees Danson as Zoologist Jonathan Dempsey, who has now become something of a joke in his field after a failed "beastie hunt" for the Yeti. In the last chance saloon, he's packed off by his superiors to debunk the Loch Ness Monster legend, where hardly enthused anyway, he finds a small community unwelcome to his being there. After finally booking into a small inn run by single mother Laura McFetridge (Richardson) Dempsey forms a warm relationship with Laura's nine year old daughter, Isabel (Graham), who just may hold the key to the mystery of Loch Ness.Once it was made available for viewing it struggled to gain any significant support, both by critics and film fans alike. Caught in the 1990's creature feature slipstream created by Jurassic Park, hopes were high for a very different type of Loch Ness Monster movie. Nobody, except for the film makers, were quite prepared for what type of film Loch Ness is. Henderson's film is a human interest story first and foremost, one that has the Loch Ness Monster as its backdrop. It is driven by a mismatched (developing) love story, yet still has enough about it to raise the pertinent question that crowns the story, namely why? And should we? Solve the Loch Ness Monster mystery. It's all very simple and low-key, where any expectation of an FX extravaganza will lead you only to a big disappointment. Helps, too, if you kind of want to believe in the fantastical, like a bit of whimsy with your film supper.An insult often used to beat it with is that it copies Local Hero's template. What is wrong with that? Since Local Hero itself is a charming human fable set in similar gorgeous locale, why not have that delightful film as a marker? In fact Loch Ness is more family friendly, adult enough for the discerning grown up, whilst beguiling the kiddies too. And lets rejoice the sparse use of special effects, what we get is brief, and dare I say it? Magical. Fusco's script is also witty, with much fun mined from Danson's fish out of water portrayal as he finds himself at odds with everyone except the Nessie keen assistant played with wide eyed energy by Frain. The rest of the cast are roundly great as well, Danson (affable supreme), Richardson (quality Scottish accent), Holm (grumpy curmudgeon) and Graham (one of the most natural and unfussy child performances ever), lead the way. While good secondary support comes from a barking mad Keith Allen and Nick Brimble as the self appointed love rival for Laura's attentions.Bolstering the film is a majestic score from Jones, with the expected Celtic harmonies neatly sitting along side the more brassy and keyboard thrusts as the narrative hits its peaks. The synth and string arrangement that accompanies "Nessie" is simply beautiful and the reason why this particular writer had to buy the score. Although the Highland/Lochs locations used for filming are to die for, the film needed a better cinematographer than Tickner. He's good on something like sci-fi trasher Split Second, where he gets away with washed out apocalyptic colours, but here his photography is often murky and the sumptuous colours of the scenery never boom out from the screen. He does, however, know how to light a pretty face, the beautiful Richardson benefiting greatly here.With a big human heart and awash with family friendly mysticism, Loch Ness is a lovely picture. Thankfully for those who now know what to expect, it's a mile away from being a creature feature. 8.5/10

johntheminiman Okay, it's not exciting but it's still a great film - ideal for 'pleasent' viewing. The cast are brilliant, especially Joley Richardson and Kirsty Graham as mother and daughter - although it is a little unfair to imply that these two alone make the film watchable; others (Ted Danson, Ian Holm, & James Frain) really do help to make this a great film. The story is slow and gentle, making it great for a quiet viewing session. The special effects are limited which allows for the storyline to show through and, even though the end is a little predictable, It's still good to watch right through to Rod Stewart's brilliant closing song. Go for it, I watch it over and over when the mood takes.

electriclobster I've been studying documentary filmmakking in school now for 7 years and LOCH NESS is quite possibly the greatest documentary I've seen since "Hoop Dreams." I will say that the doctor in this doc looks surprisingly like that of Ted Dansen from CHEERS. He makes a terrific host, even though he uses the unconventional "not-talking-to-the-camera" technique used in some lesser-known docs like "Shadows of Yesteryear." I particularly loved the Irish landscape that seemed to be its own character. And by the way "reviewers," the Loch Ness monster's name is Nessie not Joely. I hate it when people get these kinds of facts wrong.