Beowulf
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Movie Reviews of Beowulf
Movie Review: Beowulf Movie Review
Summary: 4 Stars
Like the beating bass that runs throughout the musical score of Robert Zemekis' adaptation of Beowulf, the computer animated epic will get your blood pumping. While not a flawless film, Beowulf has accomplished something great. Not only has Zemekis proved that animation can transcend audiences, assaulting viewers with its fiery adult content, but with Beowulf he proves that there are still new discoveries to be found in filmmaking.
Adapted from the Seventh century epic poem, Beowulf (Ray Winstone) tells the story of a legendary Viking hero who arrives on Danish shores to purge the kingdom of a horrid monster, Grendel (Crispin Glover). However Grendel is far from the darkest creature plaguing the countryside, and Beowulf soon encounters a being far more manipulative, promising through its treacherous evil hedonistic pleasures of lust, riches, strength and power. Like King Hagarth before him, Beowulf's greed plunges the kingdom into misery and darkness, forcing the unrelenting warrior to atone for his sins in order to protect what he holds true in his heart.
The challenge facing screenwriters Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery seemed monumental. Translating the dense, highly symbolic tale into mainstream, popcorn entertainment will most likely cause 7th grade English teachers to cringe, but with their tight adaptation and Zemeckis' brilliant vision, Beowulf comes to life in a way that not only anyone can enjoy, but will leave audiences absolutely astounded.
Structurally the film doesn't flow as smoothly as other modern epics, like Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy; in fact the film's opening is rather jerky. It isn't until the first appearance of the title character that the narrative begins to settle, after which point the picture becomes as grand as the legend it was based on.
While the performances are solid, especially Ray Winstone's captivating presence as Beowulf, one can't help but feel there was something lost in translation after the layer of computer animation was applied to the actors. While Zemeckis has honed his technology, correcting many of the mistakes found in Polar Express, there is one thing the motion capture process has still not been able to capture, and that is the emotive presence of an actor's eyes.
While a stage performance requires projection of emotion, film is far more capable of capturing the subtleties of human expression. However it seems that each character in Beowulf possesses no life behind their brilliantly illustrated eyes, seeming more like something out of Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum than living, breathing characters.
However, the real heart of Beowulf doesn't get its pulse from its otherwise fine animation, but rather the brilliant and imaginative use of the third dimension. Like the mythical warrior, audiences should fight their way to see this film in digital, 3D projection. Being the first film to truly be designed from the ground up to take advantage of new 3D technology, Beowulf will leave audiences floored. This is not your parent's 3D; this is something wholly new, and seeing a seasoned filmmaker like Zemeckis take advantage of the extra dimension is a joy for anyone who has ever found pleasure in going to the movies.
A visual masterpiece that will tantalize audiences with its stunning presentation, Beowulf makes up for its narrative flaws by creating an experience the moviegoer has never seen before. If Beowulf accomplishes nothing else, it will inevitably spark the imaginations of filmmakers both young and old, opening an avenue for an exciting new chapter in cinematic history.
- Joe Russo, www.MoviePulse.net
Movie Review: Thaet waes god cinema!
Summary: 4 Stars
...To paraphrase a line from the actual poem. I was only mildly curious about 'Beowulf' when we rented it. Being a fan of the poem, I was interested to see what this surreal cast (Ray Winstone? John Malkovich?? Angelina Jolie???) were going to make of it. I expected it would be camp fun. Instead, it was unexpectedly grand, epic, and rather moving. I gather Robert Zemeckis hates the poem, which suits my idea of him as an ignorant schmuck who doesn't recognise good material when he sees it, and enables me to give all the credit for the story to both the Beowulf-poet himself and to Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, who wrote the screenplay.
They've only really done one thing to the story to make it a fully-fledged Hollywood movie, and I won't give it away here but it makes a certain kind of sense, and certainly makes for a more satisfying movie than the original poem would have been if they'd just left it as it was. Those who didn't like this film but haven't read the poem might be surprised to learn that there are passages of dialogue that have been lifted almost word-for-word from the original, such as when John Malkovich's cynical and snobbish counselor Unferth challenges Beowulf about a swimming contest that he (Beowulf) had lost. The CGI acting is a lot better than some people seem to think - Robin Wright Penn's character in particular is remarkably expressive and touching. And despite what the Amazon editorial says, Angelina Jolie's is not like a rubber doll, but actually slightly more realistic-looking than Angelina Jolie herself (I think they toned down the lips a bit).
There's some top-class smiting, enjoyable turns from Anthony Hopkins as the complacent king Hrothgar (nicely expanding on hints in the original story) and Brendan Gleeson as Beowulf's hairy sidekick Wiglaf, yet another in Brendan Gleeson's line of memorably hairy sidekicks.
Oh yeah, and that accent that nobody can seem to figure out? It's Welsh. At least, Hopkins is doing Welsh, so Wright does the same thing, closely followed by most of the serving wenches and Alison Lohman as Beowulf's girlfriend (although by the time it gets to her it's just gone kind of weird). Meanwhile, Gleeson is doing inner Dublin, Winstone is doing East End of London and Malkovich is just doing Malkovich. But who cares? Crispin Glover's dialogue is entirely in Old English and his mother appears to be from Serbia. Just sit back and enjoy.
'Beowulf' is underrated. The story is in most important respects faithful to the original and, where it isn't, comments intelligently upon it from a distance of a thousand years. I'm not totally convinced that it wouldn't have been as good if they'd done it as a mixture of live action and animation, but then they'd have had a whole cast and crew freezing their knees off in Denmark somewhere and the production would have been less happy all round.
I love the poem but it makes sense on its own terms as a poem; it wouldn't be as good a movie if you just filmed it. They had to do something to it to make it into a movie, and I'm glad it was this. To translate the title of this review from (mostly) Old English: that was good cinema. Check it out.
Movie Review: Beowulf and the Golden Horn (Dog)
Summary: 4 Stars
If you're talking about something that's fun to watch, this 3-D retread of the ancient legend of Beowulf will fatten your eyeballs. Every scene is designed to pop, each bloodied lance, or spurt of drool, or lashing claw will jerk you back in your seat. And, miracle of miracles, the glasses, once removed, don't leave behind the optical ache that was caused (in me, at least) by the typical blue-red lenses. Oh, the swoops through snow-crusted limbs! Oh, the spinning vertigo of a mid-air dragon battle! Oh, how sumptuously do Jolie's lovely lady lumps rise, laminated in what looks like golden pancake syrup!
Other than neat-o special effects and about as much titillation as you can get in something rated PG-13 (the moral of the story seems to be that even the most powerful and bravest men are no match for a strategically nude Angelina Jolie), does the movie have much to offer?
The story, to anyone familiar with "classic" literature, is your typically post-modern retread of the hero-legend Beowulf. Aging king? Natch. Unearthly monster? Check. Young, proud warrior? Ditto. Complex internal struggles? Eh, well, not so complex, but, yeah, they're there. People interested in authenticity, in whether the film stays true to the original tale, will be delighted to know that there's a lot here you can complain about. Light up the blogs!
The rest of you will probably be entertained. The movie capitalizes on the captured-movement technology employed fruitlessly in "The Polar Express." The humans are still the least realistic thing about the movie, but they have a bit more fluidity to their expressions than you'd expect. Character actors, like Hopkins and Malkovich, bring a handsome amount of energy to their parts (the portly King Hrothgar and his right-hand weasel, Unferth, respectively). Others don't fare so well. I didn't recognize Robin Wright Penn until halfway through the movie (her Queen Wealthow seems to have lockjaw), and Jolie (as Grendel's morphic mother) relies exclusively on that pursed, come-hither look she's perfected over the years (she could probably get a patent on it). But who's looking at her face? (She puts the [ahem] back in "classic!" Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!)
The story tries to explore all the avenues of misunderstood pain (Grendel's monstrous motivations are pitiable and make him less a villain than a tragic figure) and natural human weaknesses (the dragon has a single weakness above its heart; Beowulf's weakness is a little further south). The exploration is fun although a bit too thorough; the movie runs about fifteen minutes longer than it needs to.
That's okay. Gaiman's script is as florid as everything else Gaiman has ever written (Roger Avary, Tarantino's long-time artistic foil, is co-writer). Zemeckis's directing is as scrumptuous as (most) everything else he's ever directed. And, like I said, even when the story gets long in the tooth, 3-D viewers can still amuse themselves with the perfect roundness of the pebbles, the layered beauty of technology, and Jolie's smooth, flawless, perfectly arrayed ...
Uh. Hmmm. Beowulf! Good movie!
Movie Review: Beowulf - Amazing in 3D, New Take on a Classic Tale
Summary: 4 Stars
Beowulf is a new version of a classic tale. The animation style really comes to life when seen in Imax 3D. This is one movie worth seeing in the theatre and owning in HD.
There are three groups who will want to see Beowulf no matter what reviewers think: those who loved the Polar Express (same creators, same animation style), those who love mythology and war movies, and those who love Angelina Jolie. And yet the real reason to see this movie should attract a much wider audience: this is a visually stunning "video game" on the movie screen. While any new take on a classic tale will upset purists, this movie is worth suspending disbelief for the entertainment value.
Visual Effects
The animation of the film is very "cartoon" and "video game like." While that may not satisfy those who are looking for entirely realistic CGI effects, it is an artistic form that is very compelling when seen in Imax 3D. Clearly, the technology will improve in future movies. Regardless, the creativity and artistry of this movie should be appreciated for what it is.
There are many 3D elements that leap out at viewers. If they added smells and water spray it would be very similar to some Disney World 3D movies. My only curiousity is how (if at all) they plan on making the 3D experience available to home viewers
The Music
The score is very well put together and complements the movie experience. There is a lot of driving heart pounding composition, almost operatic in nature. And there are also soft pensive songs. In any case, the music is also well appreciated in a theatre, and sets this version apart from previous ones all on its own.
Beowulf Soundtrack
Acting and Direction
The acting is really well tailored for the film, in as much as CGI can be. Really, this is an accomplishment in direction and film editing. You will find yourself asking, "who is that actor who plays Beowulf?" And when you see Ray Winstone in real life, you will be even more amazed. Robing Wright Penn as the queen and Anthony Hopkins as the king give the most classic expressive performances of the group. And unfortunately for the Jolie fans out there, her role is somewhat minor in the scope of this movie.
The Story
Those who read Beowulf will leave with a certain feeling of "Huh?" after seeing this movie. The story has been changed, but in a purposeful way. It is true that Beowulf comes across as more vulnerable than in the original accounts. In the end, I defer to the creators. They have created a different version of this story that should be appreciated on it's own. Purists aside, it's an interesting take on the tale.
Overall, this is a great entertainment movie. See it in the theatre, get the DVD in HD, and marvel at how far we've come in the worlds of animation, computing and entertainment.
Enjoy!!!
Movie Review: "We Need a Hero!"
Summary: 4 Stars
"I am Beowulf!" roars Ray Winstone in a way that reminded me more than a little of Gerard Butler in `300'. With his voice resonating like Butler or Nick Nolte and his formidable presence a combination of John Cena and a young Hulk Hogan, Winstone made me think that this epic movie was a cross between Shakespeare and WWF. Of course the story is pre-Shakespearean, but this hybrid animation rendering of the oldest nugget in British literature has an overall look and feel that elicit even more memories of `Lord of the Rings' rendered through `Polar Express' eyes.
Significantly, `P.E.' director Robert Zemeckis takes on this little adventure gem, and while the dialogue takes many liberties, the mood and action of this story are remarkably intact. It is a hero epic with all the legend of ancient stories. We start with King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) and his subjects in his Norse kingdom celebrating their latest conquests in the most decadent ways, swilling liquor and engaging in all kinds of licentious conduct. In the middle of their revelry comes a shriek that cracks the evening sky. The great enemy Grendel, a giant ogre who is presented with great insecurity and menace has arrived and wreaks havoc upon the king's court. Here it should be mentioned that between his horrendously enhanced appearance and Crispin Glover's Gollum-like performance, a startling adversary is given a great screen presence.
It does no good to spoil the details for the uninitiated, but Beowulf enters upon the scene. He owes King Hrothgar a debt of gratitude for saving his own father. Chivalry and courage are vintage aspects and they're not given short shrift here either. Beowulf falls in love with the Queen, and Hrothgar promises her to him if he can only slay Grendel. It's not too much to say that he's up to the task, but the battle isn't meant to be missed. The remainder of the movie studies the aftermath. Having slain Grendel, pride enters the fray, for now Beowulf must face Grendel's mother (Angelina Jolie), a seductive siren song who has the power to steer the course of men.
With a golden horn as symbol, 'Beowulf's seduction brings all the ancient themes: pride and corruption. `Beowulf' both the story and the movie bring much to the imagination. Archetypes of heroes and myths are amply presented in good form. Predating psychology, meeting the enemy in the waters of a cave have a subliminal effect that is mostly rewarding. Often I found the action startling, a real jolt to my senses. The only drawback is that I felt there were a few pregnant pauses. The movie needs to be ponderous and not just play out on fast-forward, but the reflections were sometimes awkward. While I came upon the non-3D presentation of the movie, I recommend the latter, but I must say having experienced the former, it speaks well of a movie that still works without the full force of 3-D.