Beowulf & Grendel
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Movie Reviews of Beowulf & Grendel
Movie Review: A thought provoking (revisionist) retelling
Summary: 5 Stars
On the whole, I am greatly pleased by "Beowulf & Grendel". The movie is performed from the point of view of one living in the time of Beowulf (~A.D.480). Life was hard, short and brutish. In the struggle for survival, people then were generally hostile toward others different from themselves. This intolerance sets the stage for murder, vengeance, and ultimately compassionate respect.
I liked this movie because it turns the heroic fantasy, a classic of English literature, into a more believable and useful morality tale. As such, it provides something closer to what might have actually happened than what the original legend evolved into.
I give the movie five stars and would defend it against some criticisms:
- dialog littered with expletives: Gee, I really can't imagine anyone used to bloodshed and death to refrain from such colorful speech.
- unattractive people: Sorry, people of the fifth century are not well known for their insistence on grooming and personal hygiene.
- movie was boring (compared to 2007 w/ Angelina Jolie) - well, you can have blood above your shoulders, or below your navel, but not at the same time. Pick one.
Movie Review: Well done adaptation of classic to film
Summary: 5 Stars
Oral poems like Beowulf are extremely difficult to convert to dramatic media (plays, film, etc) because the plot is not arranged how we tend to expect (think boxes in boxes instead of the Freytag's Pyramid). Additionally, oral poems tend to feature flat but mythic characters (the strong Beowulf or the clever Odysseus) rather than rounded human characters we can relate to. For this reason and no other, most Beowulf movies stink.
Not so with this one. The movie adopts a standard superhero-type formula which is to make Grendel the sympathetic character gone bad, and use this to create an altogether human story full of moral questions relating to the value of mercy, justice, and other profound questions. The story is thus immensely satisfying on a deep level.
Additionally, the cinematography is well done and the Icelandic landscape beautifully shot.
There are, of course, some areas which could have been improved. I was not entirely satisfied with the acting and portrayal of the "Selma" character (not found in the original epic). However, the other characters are well portrayed and the rest of the acting is good.
Movie Review: A Diamond in the rough
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved it...It really had a strong emotional pull towards grendal's character...You found it hard to hate him and found yourself a little angry with Beowulf's character. This movie isn't for a lot of people, if you need action or for a movie to start on the ball and keep rolling this isn't for you. If you like story-lines and maybe the epic poem itself than this is definitely a must see!! You start of with Beowulf's character and as he travels to help out a mighty King that once helped him he goes to realize this man in front of him, this broken-down, hopeless man is the king, what's left of him. He's determined to fight for him and get his honor back. But as Beowulf digs deeper into the enemy that is Grendal, he learns about secrets and untold whole truths and starts to wonder about the kings trustworthiness. He has to kill Grendal for the kings sake, but he also meets a woman to help open his eyes. HIss inner turmoil makes this a Great emotional movie, Gerard Butler did an awesome Beowulf! His character really came a live and made you feel what beowulf felt. MUST SEE!Movie Review: A Terrific Movie If You Have Any Interest in this Type of Movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
I've struggled through old translations of Beowulf and happliy enjoyed the more reader-friendly version of Seamus Heaney, but I've always been on the lookout for a movie that could bring the book to life, without turing into one of the later Highlander movies. This interpretation hit the mark wonderfully. The cinematography is enchanting, the story line humanizes all of the characters and the performances are nuanced. I didn't look at my watch a single time and by the end of the movie, I actually cared what happened to each character (which happens seldom in light of the products that Hollywood turns out).
If you're looking for a good exploration of the central story of Beowulf, this movie is for you. If you're interested in an examination of the interplay between Norse religion and Christianity around 500 A.D., this movie is for you. If you want to feel like you're a part of a story that probes the nature of good and evil, duty and honor, revenge and reconcilliation, this movie is for you. If you just want some sort of sword and sorcery slash-fest, pass it up.
Movie Review: Worth Watching
Summary: 5 Stars
I am surprised at the negative comments about this movie. I am also a great fan of the epic, BEOWULF, having read it in highschool and college. I'm a university instructor and have used BEOWULF in my classes. (The Michael Alexander version is best). So I was very anxious to see this version of BEOWULF and was not disappointed. I thought perhaps the movie might have owed something to John Gardner's version of the story (GRENDEL). Gardner's GRENDEL goes a long way toward humanizing the "monster," but this movie goes even further, dropping the idea that Grendel was descended from Cain all together. In fact, the movie is a perfect representation of how the world has changed since the original epic was written. Our whole idea of heroes is different now. Hence Beowulf is conflicted and the differences between right and wrong are blurred. It is also refreshing to watch a movie that is filmed in a real location and not in front of a blue screen! The setting is bleak and beautiful. The acting is first rate. This movie is definitely worth watching.