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Bookmark this pageBeowulf (2007)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Synopsis
In a legendary time of heroes, the mighty warrior Beowulf battles the demon Grendel and incurs the wrath of the beast's ruthlessly seductive mother. Their epic clash forges the timeless legend of Beowulf.
Movie review
From Time Out London
‘Bollocks! Give me a gobble, then!’ This sample dialogue is typical of the many miscalculations made in Robert Zemeckis’ tediously protracted, mis-judged and puerile animated adaptation of ‘Beowulf’. It’s evident from the script – by British-born graphic novelist Neil Gaiman and Tarantino’s one-time collaborator Roger Avary – that it wasn’t the power and beauty of the language of our great eponymous, anonymous eighth-century Old English epic encomium that attracted the filmmakers. Nor, indeed, was it the work’s insight into pre-Anglo-Saxon history, as Anthony Hopkins’ Welsh-accented kinsmen and the snowbound mountain castles of table-flat Denmark bear eloquent witness. But even as a mere convenient launchpad for some vertiginous, 3D-assisted, man-on-beast heroics located in the eternally-adolescent gothic/fantasy/horror comic-book tradition, it seems an irrelevance.
Part of the problem is the animation technology itself. In re-animating the actors’ performances, ‘enhanced motion capture’ (the technique Zemeckis adopted with ‘The Polar Express’) makes of them creepier spectres than the creatures by which they are often surrounded. Thus, however gloopy and cadaverous the 20ft Grendel (voiced by ‘crazy’ Crispin Glover) appears or how unexpected we find the swoops of the fire-breathing dragon (non-Equity) and how bizarre the serpents-tailed Goldfinger babe presented by his protean mother (Angelina Jolie), none of them can compete with the sheer, unsettling oddity of the humans, with their milky-blind eyes. This applies especially to our hero, Beowulf, beneath whose glistening, highly sexualised , often naked rejuvenated body and bulging, leather-bound musculature lies the just-detectable face and movements of dear old Ray Winstone. The final, kinetic aerial battle scenes are eye-poppingly spectacular – especially in the 3D IMAX-version under review – but they come way too late to save the film.
Author: Wally Hammond
Time Out London Issue 1943: November 14-20 2007
User reviews of this film
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- Shahid said...
- Posted on Dec 07 2007 12:01 Watch this movie at the IMAX (I think theres only one in London)....Its a much better movie...awesome effects in 3D and you have to jump back...
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- Mr X said...
- Posted on Dec 07 2007 09:49 The guy who was second to Beowulf (the big hairy one) looks like the animated version of William Wallace's partner in crime in Breveheart (Fucking ace film) the big ginger one.
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- loz said...
- Posted on Dec 06 2007 17:02 this is the best film ever got my bf jumping lol i love it. very very good
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- nurd brain said...
- Posted on Dec 05 2007 18:21 Errrrrr dunno i havnt seen this film eether
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- Mr X said...
- Posted on Dec 05 2007 12:57 Good film, nat many blokes could tackle a beast in the nude, especialy when it looked cold. Anjelina Jolie, don't blame him for doin her. This film made James Bond look like Bambi...... Only joking...... Barbi
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- Neina said...
- Posted on Dec 04 2007 00:48 Possibly the worst film I have ever seen. I've never sat in a cinema willing a film to end. However, i do agree with the people who said it was funny, as it was, however I don't think that was the intention. What a ridiculous and daft film, I thought that with the cast being as good as it is it must be good, as they wouldn't appear in anything less, oh well.
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- javi said...
- Posted on Dec 02 2007 19:36 i saw this movie just for the 3d curiosity and is really good this is great movie i am goin to see with my girl friend
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- Dave said...
- Posted on Dec 02 2007 13:56 Ian - always better to reveiw a movie after you've seen it rather than before. You might not like it!
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- ian said...
- Posted on Dec 02 2007 13:23 i am going to watch the film today and i cant wait to see it i think its the best film ever made accsept harry potter
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- Maxine said...
- Posted on Dec 02 2007 13:08 That was the worst film I have ever been to see. I am so glad I didnt take my 13 yr old daughter. This film should NEVER have been rated below a 15. Animation and special effects do not make a film, they should enhance it. We almost walked out on 3 occasions but tried believe "it must get better" It didnt! Do NOT take your children to see this, infact I dont recommend anyone going to watch this. It was APPALLING!
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- clare said...
- Posted on Dec 01 2007 23:34 I am 11 years old and thought the film was great. Children under my age should not come to see this film. All the special effects were great and i think that if you see it in 3-D it is alot better.
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- Clare Bear said...
- Posted on Dec 01 2007 12:07 Its a must see movie its exelant you will be laughing your heads off at the end if you are not happy at the moment then go see this movie it will make you feel that you are with the stars (it made me feel better about my boyfriend dumping me)it is VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- Clare Bear said...
- Posted on Dec 01 2007 12:01 VERY VERY VERY VERY good film it is VERY funny and you will enjoy it pick this film it is THE BEST!!!!!!
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- Eric Smith said...
- Posted on Nov 30 2007 20:44 Average Hollywood film. 3D effects very good. Not suitable for children - should be a 15 or higher rating. I would advise responsible parents not to take younger children.
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- Jim said...
- Posted on Nov 29 2007 14:50 Oops - Hopkins.
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Cast & crew
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Jack Rapke
Cast: Alison Lohman, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, Robin Wright Penn, John Malkovich, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Drama
Rated: 12A
Duration: 113 mins
UK Release: Nov 16 2007
US Release: Nov 16 2007
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