Beowulf merges two very different storytelling techniques: it retells the world’s oldest English-language epic poem by utilising the very latest in CGI motion capture technology. And it does it in 3-D.
As in the poem, our hero Beowulf comes to Hrothgar’s kingdom to battle the monster Grendel, who has been chomping on merrymakers in the great mead hall.
Having defeated Grendel, our hero then has to take on Grendel’s mum, who has been turned by the filmmakers into a sexy seductress to give the movie a 'sins of the fathers" theme.
Finally, as per the original, Beowulf does battle with a dragon, although again Robert Zemeckis and Co. have also made this flying lizard part of ye olde dysfunctional family.
I wasn’t troubled by these alterations to the story and the characters are richer for them. And I liked the idea of a mythical warrior actually doing his deeds with his mythology in mind. Very post modern. But otherwise I don’t think we’re not meant to take any of this seriously at all.
As Beowulf, Ray Winstone delivers a trademark 'I’m ere to kill your monsta" line like he’s shaping up for a fight in the pub. His fondness for fighting in the nude is ridiculous, and the hilarious lengths the film goes to hide his heroic manhood makes a similar scene in The Simpsons Movie seem positively sedate. Same goes for the scene in which he rips apart sea monsters, spilling their guts into our laps in eye-poppingly clear 3-D.
If anything, it’s this reason to see Beowulf because this technology represents the future of blockbuster film. As sophisticated as it is, though, it’s wieled by Zemeckis as though we’re in the 1950s. He’s constantly poking us with looming spears and throwing axes at us. Again, I think this is meant to make us laugh even as we’re dazzled.
While the 3-D is the best we’ve seen yet, the CGI recreation of the actors has a way to go. The eyes of these creations are still soulless and sightless and that stops us from connecting with them. But it won’t be long before the movie magicians sort this out and it’s for this reason Beowulf is worth a look. Even better, you get to keep your highlyfashionable 3-D glasses.
As a cheesy movie myth and a glimpse of the filmmaking future, Beowulf rates 3 stars fashionable 3-D glasses.
