A huge let down on all aspects of what makes an epic tale

Rating: 1/10 (24 November 2007)

Beowulf is among the greatest and most well-known epic tales of Norse Mythology, but it only took me five minutes into the movie to realize that this film was not even close to as something grand. Why? To my surprise and disappointment, this movie was animated. Sure, animation isn't a big deal for a film along the lines of Shrek or Ratatouille, but not for a story like Beowulf. Beowulf is a very serious tale that covers many topics such as vengeance and forgiveness, cruelty and mercy, curses and revelations. I admit, this movie has some of those aspects, but it rather focuses on a corny, stylish animation work.
The action and animation itself reminded me of a teen-rated video game rather than a masterwork. However, there were a couple of scenes in the movie of which some of the up closes of the actor's face in certain scenes look real rather than animated, particularly in the scene of where Beowulf encounters Grendel's mother. I don't know if this was digitized or not, but either way, I felt like I was brought back to a normal film in these scenes versus a silly cartoon.
As with the story, rather than beginning with King Hrothgar murdering Grendel's father, it opens with the King having a party of drunkenness and very inappropriate nudity, particularly for an animation film. Then the party is suddenly raided by the giant Grendel. After this raid, which is quite bloody (especially for an animated film) and long ends Beowulf is finally introduced.
Now, the movie does not explain why Grendel keeps attacking Hrothgar. In the myth, it was because he was responsible for Grendel's father's death. There is no sign or even an implication of this. As for Grendel, well all I can say is he looks like a giant mummy from The Mummy Returns and loves to yell at the top of his lungs. I felt no pain for him, rather an urge to say, "Shut your gull!" I don't want to even bother in trying to explain the rest of the story. It is mainly a combination of Beowulf's two great tales smashed together in under a two hour film.
Since the story wasn't really developed well, the actors did not have much breathing room to really act. The monsters were evil and the good guys were heroes. Ray Winstone as Beowulf is pretty much like Gerard Butler was as King Leonardis from 300. He has a muscle-bound figure, loves to kill things, occasionally tries to be civil in politics, loves to walk around butt naked and shout drunkenly, "I am Beowulf!" I can't help but think of, "This is SPARTA!" Anthony Hopkins, as great an actor as he is, is an old, senile, drunken fool who can't stride from one chair to the next. Angelina Jolie, well, she's Angelina Jolie. She has a great body and speaks smoothly with her accent from Alexander. There's nothing worthwhile in this film, just a wasted epic that relies too much on the CGI department and has vivid images of sex and violence. I'm even more surprised that the great director Robert Zemechis of Back to the Future and Forrest Gump would direct this garbage.
-1/10 I wish I can get my money back.