By Jeffrey Frankel ’13, Staff Writer

Last year, people across the country (including many at Newark Academy) fell in love with Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen’s runaway bestseller.  Unfortunately for fans of the novel, however, the film adaptation is certainly not “the most spectacular show on Earth.”

Robert Pattinson stars as Jacob Jankowski, an orphaned veterinary student who runs away from home, hops a train, and joins the circus.  Working as an animal specialist, he quickly bonds with the circus owner’s wife Marlena, played by Reese Witherspoon.  A love triangle inevitably develops, transforming Water for Elephants from a story about man’s relationship with animals into a deeper story of forbidden love.  Unfortunately, this dynamic situation is marred by Pattinson and Witherspoon’s bland performances and poor chemistry as romantic leads.

This stagnancy is somewhat remedied by Christopher Waltz, who plays August, the sadistic circus owner.  He brings the perfect combination of precarious allure and capricious danger to the screen, and is a thrill to watch. Water for Elephants also scores some points in the artistic department. The producers, costume designers, and set designers create scenes that truly bring the atmosphere of the Benzeni Brothers Circus to life.

All of this extravagance, unfortunately, is unable to cover up the uninspiring performances of the erroneously cast lead actor and actress.  Pattinson seems to be emotionally detached from his love interest — perhaps he’s been hanging around with vampires a bit too much.

Much more was expected from Witherspoon, as the world-renowned actress met with great success in previous romantic films such as Just Like Heaven and Sweet Home Alabama. Despite this succes, her apathetic portrayal of Marlena left me wondering if she was interested in Jacob at all.

Overall, Water for Elephants is a beautiful story, whose film adaptation is filled to the brim with extravagance and color.  This aesthetic excellence, however, is tainted by the emotional sterility and mismatched romance of the two leads.