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Director Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend”) transforms the New York Times No. 1 best-selling book “Water for Elephants” written by Sara Gruen onto the silver screen with an unusual, yet successful cast.

Academy Award winner Cristoph Waltz (“Inglourious Bastards”) has made a name for himself once again as one of the best contemporary antagonist actors of recent years. He meshes a very charming persona with a very dark piercing rage as August.

August’s protagonist counterpart is played by Robert Pattinson (“Twilight”), who is finally able to show his true acting talents as Jacob Janowski.

In addition to the male actors, Academy Award winning actress Resse Witherspoon (“Walk the Line”) inhabits Marlena, completing a vicious love triangle that forms between these three characters. Set in the 1930s, the film begins with Jacob’s parents getting in a fatal car accident causing him to drop out of Cornell’s veterinary school. Completely lost, he decides to follow the railroad tracks to an unlikely destiny of being a part of the Benzini Brothers Circus. There he meets one of the most evil men to live, August (Waltz), who reluctantly hires Jacob to take care of the circus animals.

After showing his valor diagnosing August’s star act as unfit to perform, Jacob becomes August’s favorite employee; however, with a failing show, his alcohol problem and the formation of a relationship between Jacob and August’s wife Marlena (Witherspoon), everyone’s life is at risk.

The first half of the film is full of over-the-top drama, taking away from the magical essence of the circus and the secrets it holds within.

However, as the film progresses the majestic spirit of the circus comes to light in the form of an elephant named Rosie. Drama continues while the audience becomes captivated by the creature’s beauty.