Director Steven Spielberg has taken the stage production "War Horse," based on the children's novel by Michael Morpurgo, and transformed it into a sweeping story of love, loss, devotion and determination set against the brutal battlefields of World War I. As is the trademark of the much touted director, he tells this story against a backdrop that at times is breathtaking.

But this is a case where Spielberg's grand vision worked against him.

"War Horse" is a moving story of a friendship between a young boy, Albert (Jeremy Irvine), and a spunky horse he calls Joey. The pair are separated when Joey is sold to a British officer at the start of the war. The remainder of the film is about Joey's journey, from pulling weapons for German troops to being the love of a young girl.

"War Horse" is at its best when Spielberg focuses on small moments, such as a brief truce called between English and German troops so that the soldiers can come to the aid of the injured horse. There also are some very touching farewells and reunions.

But those moments lose some of their power when the action sweeps in and takes the story back to a grand scale. There's an intimacy that comes when reading a book -- or even seeing a production on stage. But in this movie, where there are no boundaries, the personal stories get diminished.

Spielberg is a master manipulator who has used a more subtle approach in the past. In "War Horse," his emotional trickery is telegraphed in every scene -- or accented with visual bravado, such as in the hokey closing shots, that the power wanes.

There are some impressive performances, particularly Emily Watson as Albert's understanding mother and Niels Arestrup as the caring grandfather. Because the "War Horse" structure consists of short stories, there's never enough time to fully appreciate the good acting. There's a bit of an artificial feel to the way each new owner connects with the horse, a product of not having enough time with each to allow the relationship to grow more naturally.

Another slight distraction is the score by John Williams. The incidental music seems better befitting a "Babe" sequel, while the grand ovations are strong but not memorable.

Spielberg's film also has an inherent problem in the story. It's one thing to read about the brutal way the horses are treated; seeing these events on a big screen is at times quite horrific. This is certainly not a movie for youngsters, and it will test the mettle of animal lovers.

There are no major problems with "War Horse." Spielberg has created a moving and beautifully shot film. It's just that the intimacy that such movies should evoke isn't there. Similar movies like "Old Yeller" or "My Dog Skip" drew moviegoers in so close that the emotional moments felt real.

"War Horse" isn't a champion effort by Spielberg, but it does have its moments.