I have read Beowulf a couple of times. It's great northern European mythology, and mandatory reading when you are young in my opinion (Along with Norse, Greek and Roman Mythology as well). And though the movie wants to re-write some of the epic, you will need to separate the Hollywood version from the beautiful measure of the original works. Being a work of CGI, you will also have to allow for the flaws of pure CGI work. Very stylized and beautifully colored, it is an epic adventure that elevated Zemeckis' previous work "The Polar Express" to a new level. Polar was beautifully modeled after Chris Van Allsburg illustrations for his book, but Zemeckis' adaptation to the story went a little over the top when it became a musical. Even though most of Beowulf's story line is answered here, it did make me pause and wonder: Why didn't Robert Zemeckis just direct this thing in real life instead of virtual? With the capabilities of dropping in CGI into real life action, this telling of the story could have had so much more of an impact if the expressions were more poignant. Look what he did with "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"? Zemeckis is fully capable of it. Also, to add to this, when you have CGI characters like Jacksons Gollum and King Kong to compare notes with, the modeling here just isn't up to snuff. I felt the entire movie came off like a gigantic "cut-scene" to a video game than a full featured animated project. I can only give this a little better than a good, hence the exclamation. I do this sadly. You really should see this in a theater, bigger than life. The dragon is excellent, the ugly v/s the beautiful is wild, the sequencing is uneven, though at the end it takes you on a great ride. Oh, and for you people that want to go see Angela Jolie nekkid? IT'S CGI!!! I've seen harder stuff on Fox networks! Seeing my wife and I saw this as a matinée, the crowd was on the sparse side and there was literally no kids present. I couldn't get a solid feeling from the audience though most people as they left seemed genuinely happy with their experience. I'm sure it was PG13'd because of the sequences with Angela, otherwise it would be a solid PG. I wouldn't suggest this for a kid under 8.Read full review
For those unfamiliar with the original Medieval Epic, Beowulf is the story of a Danish King, Hrothgar, and his cursed Meade Hall, Herot. It is about a terrible demon, Grendel, which raids the hall at night, feasting on sleeping warriors. A hero, Beowulf, prince of the Geats, comes from across the sea to rescue the Danes. His success is short-lived for in the wake of Grendel's demise, the demon's mother soon preys on Herot as well. Beowulf's ultimate defeat of Grendel's mother ends the epic. While Peter Zemeckis' move includes all of the main characters, he adds a critical twist to the story (PLOT TWIST TO FOLLOW)...Grendel is actually Hrothgar's son via Grendel's mother. Beowulf too falls under Grendel's mother's spell in return for a kingdom, a queen and unending fame. But he too must pay the price when his demon son is grown. It is this theme of the hero seduced by the enchantress which owes its most famous incarnation to the legend of King Arthur who is seduced by his half-sister, Morgana, who ultimately bears Arthur's slayer, Mordred. The difference between Beowulf and Hrothgar is that while Hrothgar takes suicide as his way out of his deadly bargain with Grendel's mother, Beowulf chooses to atone for his weakness by challenging his son. In the end we are left with a Wiglaf, Beowulf's ever-faithful counselor and comrade-in-arms, staring at the stunning seductress (Angelina Jolie) that is Grendel's mother, and to wonder whether the chain of avarice and seduction will be broken or whether Wiglaf too will succumb and the chain continue. Grendel is also cast as a kind of schizophrenic who simply cannot bear the stimulation of the carousing in Herot so much he must attack, mutilate and massacre to stop the noise. Unlike others who wish this was done with real actors, I found the computer graphics eerily satisfying. It certainly lent itself to Grendel's bloody invasions of Herot including separation of bodies, devoured skulls and the like. The voices and likeness of Anthony Hopkins (Hrothgar), John Malkovich (Unferth) and Robin Penn Wright (Wealthow, Hrothgar's queen) and Jolie (in both voice and body) are wonderful. But there is nothing in the violence or in the plot to match other movies of this genre, particularly "300".Read full review
THIS IS A GREAT MOVIE, AND I STILL BUY HD DVD'S EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE A DEAD FORMAT. I OWN THE XBOX 360 PLAYER SO WHY PAY THROUGH THE ROOF FOR A BLU RAY WHEN I CAN GET THE SAME MOVE IN HD DVD FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR!! I DO OWN A BLU RAY PLAYER, BUT ALL MOVIES I SEE ON HD DVD I PURCHASE TO DATE BECAUSE PLAYERS ARE SO CHEAP YOU CAN GET A BACK UP PLAYER AT ALMOST NOTHING!!
This is the next generation of cartoons. The director and producer have employed the lastest in techno. To make a very relistic movie with great action an a great retelling of a classic story from our worlds past story tellers.
Great movie, great special effects, not for kids at all....I was amazed at all the sexual scenes, naked characters.....
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