IMDb 5.4 1995 HD

Magic in the Water

Magic in the Water

1995
Adventure Drama Family Fantasy
98 min PG Canada
5.263 / 10
5.4 IMDB

Radio psychologist Jack Black takes his children Joshua and Ashley on a 'vacation' to a lake in British Columbia. While he grinds away at work the children discover…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Rick Stevenson
Starring
Mark Harmon / Joshua Jackson / Harley Jane Kozak / Sarah Wayne / Willie Nark-Orn / Frank Salsedo / Morris Panych / Ben Cardinal

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

charming predictable family-friendly whimsical environmental heartwarming predictable nostalgic understated earnest pleasant simple

Reviews

I
Isabelle Rossi
May 15, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

There’s an undeniable, if slightly faded, charm to 'Magic in the Water'. The film successfully captures the essence of childhood imagination, allowing the legend of Orky the lake monster to blossom into something more significant for the children…

A
Arthur Pendelton
May 15, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

While 'Magic in the Water' aims for a heartwarming blend of fantasy and family reconciliation, it ultimately struggles to fully connect. Mark Harmon’s portrayal of the distant father is earnest, but the character’s motivations feel somewhat underdeveloped. The…

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 15, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This delightful slice of 90s family cinema, 'Magic in the Water', offers a refreshing blend of gentle fantasy and poignant family drama. The premise, involving a radio psychologist dad and his kids encountering a lake monster, is engaging…

M
Marcus Bellwether
May 15, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Magic in the Water' presents a narrative that leans heavily on its fantastical premise to explore relatable family themes. The children’s discovery of a lake monster in British Columbia offers a delightful escape, but the film’s true heart…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 15, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A charming, if somewhat predictable, family adventure from the mid-90s, 'Magic in the Water' taps into a familiar vein of childhood wonder and parental neglect. Mark Harmon anchors the film as the well-meaning but absent father, while Joshua…

FAQs

The dynamic between Jack Black and his children, Joshua and Ashley, is central to 'Magic in the Water'. Jack's dedication to his radio psychology work leaves him emotionally distant from his children. The children's discovery of 'Orky' becomes a means to bridge this gap, suggesting that the extraordinary circumstances might help them foster a stronger, more present connection with their father.