Beowulf
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Movie Reviews of Beowulf
Movie Review: A Little Danish Delight
Summary: 4 Stars
Look. Motion capture technology is a long, long way from looking 'real'. Facial expressions (particularly Robin Wright's ever-present grimace) are wooden; movement is decidedly stiff; and the galloping horses looked so downright silly I burst out laughing. On top of that, Crispin Glover's Grendel is incoherent (and I get it; he's speaking High German, but could we at least have some English subtitles?). And what has BEOWULF purists up in arms is the fact this film dares to differ, and differ substantially, from its rather stoic yet stuffy original ballad.
Yet I say. . .nuts to all of the above. Despite its flaws, BEOWULF is grand fun and nonstop, thrilling entertainment. The visuals (especially when the action is animated) are awe-inspiring; this is a very well-crafted film. And--poem or no poem--the vision of a nude Angelina Jolie, complete with stiletto heels and a long ponytail tapered to a curling spear, emerging from that pool of water is more effective than Viagra.
Boasting the voices (and body suits) of some serious celebrities, this film includes the contributions of Ray Winstone, the great Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, and Brendan Gleeson. Can't go wrong with a cast of heavyweights like that, and this film doesn't. It may stray far from its original legend, and the motion capture technique definitely needs to be tweaked, yet BEOWULF delivers visual entertainment and heart-pounding excitement. Pour me another mead!
--D. Mikels, Author, The Reckoning
Movie Review: Retelling stories...
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm not going to speak to the complaints over the movie's technical merits/failings, since it's a stylistic choice whose success or failure can be endlessly debated. If everyone liked everything, nothing would be worth doing.
What I do note is the continual objection that the movie does violence to 'the real story of Beowulf.'
I think this is grounded in a fundamental misconception, since the story we read in English Lit is no more 'the real story of Beowulf' than this movie - our taught version is a retelling by a Christian, centuries after the tale was first told, who is casting more than a glare askance at it. Whatever the bards sang of 'Beowulf', we can feel certain that it was at the very least quite different from the version our Christian monk preserved.
That's rather the point. Different generations retell and retailor stories to fit their age. A Christian monk retold 'Beowulf' because he disapproved of several aspects of it. This movie is simply another retelling. What will make it 'true' or not is whether it affects how people see and tell the story of 'Beowulf'. If its detractors are right that the movie does such fundamental violence to 'Beowulf' and so ought never to have been made, then this version will pass away. The important stories all tend to find their way back to their true tellings.
Movie Review: The First English Epic Gets the Hollywood Treatment
Summary: 4 Stars
This most famous Anglo-Saxon epic poem, the beginning of English literature, is about the hero Beowulf who slays the monster Grendel for Danish King Hrothgar played by an extremely flabby Anthony Hopkins. If that was his body we saw in the early scenes, he has indeed gone to pot. The movie which was presented on regular screens and in Imax has Ray Winstone playing Beowulf. There's a long scene in which the naked Winstone battles Grendel. The moviemakers are very skillful in avoiding any viewing of the actor's private parts. Beowulf becomes king of the Scandinavian kingdom he has saved from Grendel.
Grendel's mother is played by a very sexy Angelina Jolie who seems to be playing her in the nude. She is a nasty temptress who bewitches the kings who come in contact with her. This is an action-thriller with blood and gore, corpses galore, and a flame-throwing monster dragon who comes back to haunt Beowulf. They have a mighty struggle in the last scenes of the movie.
Wiglaf, Beowulf's lieutenant, is a juicy part played by Brendan Gleeson, and John Malkovich has a role as a sometime villain.
It is worth seeing for the action sequences and the taste it gives of Norse customs and life. The script differs in some details from the epic itself, but the alterations make for a livelier and lustier movie.
Movie Review: Classic tale, classic animation
Summary: 4 Stars
Beowulf is certainly a landmark in animation movies. The animators have succeeded in a near perfect resemblance to not only the way the leading actors look but talk and act also. Now that was something. Another landmark aspect was the use of motion capture which is not new and a similar technique was used in The Polar Express but Beowulf takes it one step further. Some of the incredible action scenes are almost impossible to create without computer animation. The colors used in Beowulf were good too. Apart from the technology here is an animation movie for adults. This is certainly not a 3D movie for kids as there is violence, blood and gore in good measure. There is some nudity too. Somewhere after the half of the movie the plot gives away after Beowulf's meets with the monster's mother, Angelina Jolie who is animated to sheer brilliance, and you get a feeling that the story is almost over and by the time more action is seen our hero has turned an old man.
The soft acoustic songs the queen sings are lovely and I wish I could get longer versions of the same.
Four stars.
Movie Review: Beowulf
Summary: 4 Stars
In 6th century Denmark, Kin Hrothgar's (Hopkins) kingdom is being terrorized by the monster Grendel (Glover). The king calls for someone to come and defeat Grendel. Beowulf (Winstone) answers that call, seeking glory more than gold. On his first night there, Grendel attacks and Beowulf must deal with him. But, Grendel is not the only creature waiting to terrorize the kingdom. Grendel's mother (Jolie) and a dragon also lie in wait.
Computer animated and only loosely following the epic poem, "Beowulf" is an entertaining feast for the eyes. I think that animation was the way to go with this story, and the images are very realistic. Voice talents of Winstone, Hopkins, Jolie, Gleeson, and Penn all fit well with the characters. Purists will probably be disappointed with the changes, but for those not familiar with the story will probably have no problems. "Beowulf" is a great example of how far CGI has come, and an excellent diversion for those craving some action.