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.
SCORE = 8/10
8 out of 10?! Are you serious?!?!? I will generously give this cheap piece of artificially flavored eye candy a 1 out of 10! Not only are the plot and characters of this adaptation designed only for an immature and newly pubescent male audience, the visuals are dull and artificial. And worse than all this is the destruction heaped upon one of the greatest works of English literature. Have you ever read it? Do you recognize how the screenwriters and the director ruined it?
By the way, I don’t see how you can say this film “will most likely cause 7th grade English teachers to cringe.” Beowulf is not usually read in middle schools, but in high school and college. Zemeckis claims not to have liked reading it in junior high school (however doubtful it is that he read it there) because it was hard to understand the Old English. I find it amazing that his junior high teacher tried to teach something so obscure and difficult as Old English to his or her class of young adolescents — perhaps Zemeckis simply doesn’t know what he’s talking about any more than he knows how to make this movie. It’s pure junk.
I THINK PAUL E DONIGER’s CoMENTS WERE STUNNING. HE IS AN OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL WHO REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT EYE CANDY IS. I AGREE THAT THIS MOVIE STUNK AND IT IS PURE JUNK. PAUL IS TOTALLY RIGHT. THAT MAN IS MY HERO
dear “shalatimasha” and “PaulE.Doniger”,
i would like to voice my opinion on this movie. i feel that this underappreciated movie should have gotten TEN OUT OF TEN. This masterpiece displays more character and absolute depth than ANYTHING, i repeat ANYTHING that mister william shakespeare ever could have crafted. Maybe one day the world will join me in my views that Beowulf=Love.
Signed,
I love the words eye candy