The official trailer for David Oyelowo's family adventure film The Water Man is here. Have a look for yourself because Oyelowo really seems to have tapped into something good, something that your whole family can enjoy together.
For one it looks great. Once Gunner and Jo enter the woods Oyelowo really embraces the beauty and danger of Nature. It also looks to be full of hope, real risk and adventure as the two go on a quest to find the titular character and save Gunner's mom. We have always been big fans of kids in peril family films and The Water Man looks to have a nice edge of darkish fantasy to it as well. It hearkens back to the day when family films had a bit of kick to them.
In THE WATER MAN, Gunner (Lonnie Chavis) and his mother (Rosario Dawson) share a special bond, but when his mom’s illness worsens, he disappears into stacks of books on both science and the supernatural in search of possible cures. After learning about the mythic Water Man, who may carry the secret to everlasting life, Gunner and his rebellious friend Jo (Amiah Miller) go on a quest into the Water Man’s mysterious forest. Facing challenges and dangers they never imagined, the friends’ hope for rescue lies with Gunner’s father (David Oyelowo), who must immerse himself in his son’s world to follow the clues that will lead him to the kids and put his family back together.
The Water Man is Oyelowo's directorial debut. He also in it with Rosario Dawson (Sin City, Rent), Lonnie Chavis (“This Is Us”), Amiah Miller (War for the Planet of the Apes), Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2), and Maria Bello (“NCIS”). Oprah Winfrey served as an Executive Producer with her Harpo Films banner. Below is Oyelowo's director statement.
In this story, Gunner Boone, moves to a tiny rural town from the big city, with his mother and father in the hope that his sick mother will fare better there. Unfortunately, his mother gets worse. Through a local girl named Jo, Gunner discovers the local legend of “The Water Man” who is said to live deep in the woods and has the gift of cheating death, Gunner and Jo set out to find him and so our adventure begins. THE WATER MAN is a story about how far a heroic young boy will go to save his mother. It’s about sacrificial love, hope and overcoming adversity.I grew up loving family films that have adventure, fantasy and jeopardy whilst never patronizing their young protagonists. As a father to four children I want to share films with my kids that both entertain and equip them for the highs and lows that lie ahead. I relish watching films with them that both transport our family to a different world and then leave us having meaningful conversations. I love films that do that, so I set out to make one for them, other families and hopefully, the whole world!
RLJE Films will present The Water Man in cinemas throughout the U.S. on May 7th.