Beowulf

Directed by Robert Zemeckis and with a screenplay written by Roger Avary and forum favourite Neil Gaiman Beowulf is the latest digital animation fantasy adventure to grace our big screens. Boasting an all star cast for the voices of the characters, notably Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie.

The movie starts with king Hrothgars (Anthony Hopkins) village being terrorised by the monstrous Grendel, a giant troll who doesn’t like a good beevy up. Apparently numerous attempts to kill the beast have been the end of many a would be hero. The movie skirts over this a bit to quickly but never mind. Enter Beowulf, boastful hero, slayer of monsters and general all round hard man to, well, slay the monster. From here on the movie is story of love, lies, death, betrayal with a splattering of religion and a large helping of action.

Visually Beowulf is stunning. The computer animation so good at times you would be fooled into thinking you are actually watching miss jolie strutting her golden covered stuff rather than a computer animation. The likenesses between the voice actors to their digital counterparts is astounding. With the exception of Ray Winstone (Beowulf) to whom the animators have been very kind.

And perhaps that’s the problem. They have put so much effort into capturing the actors likeness that they would have been as well just shooting the thing in real life. The movie lacks life (no pun intended) that the actors could have brought to the screen with ease.

The movie is also available to view in certain cinemas in 3D and this would explain some of the shots that one would imagine look great in 3d but without the glasses just look a tad ridiculous.

In short Beowulf is a great example of computer graphics but misses out on what it could have been if actually played out by the cast it had assembled. If your going to see it I would opt to see it in 3D as once you have sat through it once you wouldn’t want to do so again so best get all you can from it on the big screen. Failing that wait for it to come out on DVD.

Beowulf is out now on general release.

Wee Chucky · 19th November 2007, 11:40am

I saw the 3D version last night and absolutely loved it. The 3D-effects are nothing short of stunning and it's got to be the bloodiest 12A (UK) rating in memory, as well as having a lot of adult humour in the mix. 10/10

MarkMono · 19th November 2007, 11:53am

Hmm, sounds dangerously close to everything I predicted would be wrong with this movie. Ach, it'll probably still be be fairly watchable.

I'm also not sure if being a widespread object of derision equals being a 'forum favourite'

Connor O'Bain · 19th November 2007, 11:59am

curse my lack sarcasim font

edit: could some lovely editor please change Ray Parks to Ray Winstone. oops on my part

**Ghostsuit** · 19th November 2007, 1:24pm

I have to kind of agree with style over content and even at that I wasn't overly impressed with the style. The dialog while funny in parts was poor. A comedy naked Beowulf place the helmet, spear or steam section and a few fancy graphic does not a good movie make.

Jaemi · 19th November 2007, 1:41pm

The shot many of the scenes in "real life" then "stylised" them. ( forgive my lack of knowledge on the technical terms).

I also read that the Beowulf animation is very likeness to a Ray Winstone in his younger days..

¡Punk! · 19th November 2007, 1:52pm

The advert for Beowulf came on during Scum the other night and Kirsten never realised that it was Winstone in Scum or in Beowulf so you may be right there Jaemi

MarkMono · 19th November 2007, 1:54pm

I have noticed a distinct similarity between the description of Grendel and Claire Rayner.

Seriously Jamie, where'd you pick that one up? Its like comparing King Arthur to a young Liam Neeson.