Beowulf

Rating: 7/10 (10 January 2012)

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a good start to how realistic computer animation, and then director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump) gave us The Polar Express, using the "performance capture" technique, and Zemeckis followed with this. Basically, set in Denmark, 507 A.D., during the coming of Christianity, where the realm King Hrothgar (Sir Anthony Hopkins) lives in fear from the torment and attack from monstrously large troll Grendel (Crispin Glover). The King is offering a reward to whoever can kill the creature, and so arrives boastful and confident great warrior Beowulf (Ray Winstone), and he awaits the beast to defeat him and claim the glory he longs for. Beowulf manages to fatally wound Grendel after discovering his weakness, the creature shrinks and eventually dies in the lair of his mother, and the warrior is welcomed into the kingdom with open arms. Next the warrior must face Grendel's supposedly fearsome Mother (Angelina Jolie), however he sees that she is gorgeous and she manages to seduce him, and Hrothgar realises this, being seduced himself, and after saying that he should become king when he dies, the ruler commits suicide. This instantly makes Beowulf king, meaning that he will sit beside queen Wealthow (Robin Wright Penn), and he is looked on closely by royal adviser Unferth (John Malkovich), but there are more challenges ahead. Next thing the kingdom faces is a dangerous large fire breathing dragon, but Beowulf of course manages to defeat this threat as well, and there are a few other things going on, before the end that sees Grendel's Mother trying to seduce him again, and it is unclear as to whether he gives into this or not. Also starring Brendan Gleeson as Wiglaf and Alison Lohman as Ursula. Winstone, Jolie, Hopkins and the other stars all give good voice and captured performances, the story is reasonably interesting being set in the 6th Century, but of course it is the animation that really keeps you watching, it is such high quality, especially how realistic Jolie looks, I was also surprised by the quality of it during violent and sexy scenes, and also that it is not a 15 certificate but a 12A, overall it is most watchable animated fantasy adventure. Very good!