Terrible Adaptation

Rating: 3/10 (5 July 2009)

This terrible adaptation transforms the lyrically elegant morality tale of a warrior-king who dooms his people to oblivion because of his own quest for fame into a butt-kicking action flick. Beware! Anyone watching this horrendous adaptation as a short-cut to reading the book for a class, the changes that have been made are arbitrary.
For example: - Grendel's mother is NOT impregnated by Beowulf in the poem. Nor is she the beautiful naked Angelina Jolie -- she is more akin to the reptilian title character from ALIEN.
-Hrothgar is NOT the father of Grendel. Nor does he commit suicide by leaping from the parapet after giving his crown to Beowulf.
-Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats (southern Sweden) not the Danes as he does in the movie.
-Beowulf does not marry Hrothgar's widow and then sleep around with the castle wench. In fact, in the poem Beowulf neither has an heir nor marries. His fatherlessness is a source of regret on his deathbed. His cellibacy contributed to his image as a Christ figure.
Though the animation is well-done, and the direction and editing contribute to a fast-paced film, the utter disregard for the story is appalling.