Beowulf

"Better than 300"

http://www.torontosun.com/Entertainment/Movies/2007/11/16/4659987-sun.html

By KEVIN WILLIAMSON

The Viking hero, Beowulf is played by British actor Ray Winstone.

Beowulf is a spellbinder for the senses -- immersive, electrifying, a landmark for techno-fetishist Robert Zemeckis and his throngs of giga-nerd worker drones.

Comparisons to 300, this spring's surprise hit about battle-hungry Spartans, are inevitable since both embellish ancient myths with decidedly modern bouts of visual effects and bloodshed. But in offsetting its spectacle with more nuanced characters and undercurrents of melancholy, Beowulf proves the wiser, more mature feat.

Utilizing the same performance-capture technology he made The Polar Express with to adapt the epic poem, Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit) has conjured a haunted, harrowing world of brawny heroes, decrepit demons, besieged kings and beautiful queens. In 3D -- the format in which the film needs to be seen to be fully appreciated -- it's a one-of-a-kind, big gulp of graphic-novel greatness.

Ray Winstone, the beefy actor best known from The Departed and Sexy Beast, undergoes an extreme digital makeover as a sleek, toned warrior Beowulf who boldly pledges to rid a cursed kingdom in 6th century AD Denmark of a murderous, malformed monster named Grendel (Crispin Glover). The boozy, boisterous King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins, never subtler than when animated -- go figure) gladly takes the young demon slayer up on his offer. Romantic and political intrigues lurk in the forms, respectively, of Robin Wright Penn's soul-sad queen and John Malkovich's Karl Rove-esque adviser. But these are quickly sidelined by the film's deliriously energized action -- with Beowulf tangling with sea creatures, dragons and, of course, Grendel, a creature emboldened with palpable pain and rage by Glover. And as Grendel's mother, a perfectly-cast Angelina Jolie makes for a sensual, synthetically-imagined seductress.

Is Beowulf flawless? Hardly. For all the bedazzlement, the tone wavers. When Jolie rises into view in her watery underground cavern, she is strutting about in stilettos -- hardly the fashion at the time and distracting enough to elicit laughter. As well, when Beowulf and Grendel clash, the former does so in the nude in a sequence that, uh, sticks out like Austin Powers leftovers. Moreover, for those reticent to embrace the film's splicing of reality and animation, the entire $150-million production may feel, as it was described to me by one journalist, as "the world's best-looking video game."

But even then, it's difficult not to appreciate the visual rapture -- or wit -- of the piece.

In drawing upon one of the oldest myths in the English language, Zemeckis bracingly offers a virtual window into the future of storytelling itself.

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BEOWULF

1 hour, 54 minutes

Starring: Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Sun Rating: 4 out of 5 (in 3D)

Sun Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 (in 2D)

[Post edited by Falcon01 on Nov 16, 2007]

ehhh... maybe i should go see it.

In fairness, the review in my local newspaper, the San Francisco Chronicle, was not so favorable.

I haven't seen the film yet, but in the last year I've probably seen the trailer on the big screen a dozen times. What I can't understand about these CGI renderings of live actors is why the filmmakers don't just use the live actors to begin with? The CGI stuff looks creepy to me, which maybe is part of the point, I dunno.

John

John I agree...I guess its supposed to be artistic (kinda like Scanner Darkly) but if you're already using the actors you might as well do live action and it would be better. I also think because of they go CGI or animation they can add other CGI elements and it would all look better as opposed to live action mixed with CGI elements which doesn't always go well.

Still theres a place for animation/CGI whatever and a place for live action.

[Post edited by Falcon01 on Nov 16, 2007]

Well I don't think they could've used Ray Winstone as Beowulf unless they wanted an overweight Beowulf

Quote:
What I can't understand about these CGI renderings of live actors is why the filmmakers don't just use the live actors to begin with? The CGI stuff looks creepy to me, which maybe is part of the point, I dunno.

That's what I think. From the previews I've seen I think it looks too CGI, to the point of it looks too fake. "The Golden Compass" looks a little more attractive in terms of CGI films to come out this winter. Then again, I think the whole GCI thing is getting way over done these days. Hollywood really needs to concentrate on giving us good storys rather than packing the sheep in for a bad story with great eye candy. It seems to be the norm anymore but they really need to find a balance.

I wasn't impressed with the Beowulf trailers either. It looks creepy, too CGI, and choppy - not to mention fake looking like everyone has been saying in this thread.

The first time I saw it, I thought it was for a video game based on a movie or something, but then I realized it was the movie! Video game = cool, movie = uncool.