Definitely worth it--if only for the technology

Rating: 7/10 (29 November 2007)

After seeing the trailer for Beowulf, I decided I had no interest in seeing the film. However, after the screening last night, in 3-D at an IMAX theater, I'm glad I did. Other than the character names, places and objects, and some of the sequences that take place, the film is nothing like the epic poem. In fact, the underlying premise of the entire movie is completely made up and found no where in the poem. It's certainly sexed up and modernized, Hollywood style, to make it more accessible. And while I think it works well for the film, I certainly hope no ninth grader deems it a substitute for reading the actual epic. I actually pulled a copy myself from my library to re-read.
But who really cares about the poem, right? Haha, I jest! The story's the same as all the trumped up warrior movies of late (compare "I...Am...BEOWULF!" with "This...Is...SPARTA!"): heroic, sexy, hedonistic and violent. The monster Grendel is a foul ravaging, pus-ridden beast who towers over men with ease and rips their heads off like twigs. Liberties were taken, however, to make him also meek and hesitant, and clearly existentially bewildered. This gives the character soul and compels the viewer to find humanity in the creature. I really liked Grendel's mother, I must admit, even though creative license took her far beyond the original character in the poem. The cartoon version of Angelina Jolie arouses just as well, if not better, than the real thing (I could have lived without the high heels though). If I were Brad Pitt, I'd be quite jealous of cartoon Ray Winstone! It's a cool movie and definitely worth watching, but more so because of the technology, and less so about the story. You've got swords and blood and waves and stones and spears and beasts all coming at you at once! It's like you're in this foreign world battling right along with our hero! Alright, it's not that impressive, but it's certainly worth a movie ticket to check it out. I really can't say for sure how I'd feel about the film if I'd seen it in traditional two dimensional style on a normal movie screen... But then again, I'm not reviewing that experience, now am I?