Flawed but enjoyable

Rating: 6/10 (6 April 2008)

I was not familiar with the story of Beowulf before I saw this movie, so I really have no qualms about what was changed in the story (since the tale itself had undergone through many changes though the centuries anyway).
The main problem here was really the animation. It distracted me from the movie, and that's the last thing you want as a film-maker experimenting with FX. Like so many, I felt like I was watching a really long cut scene from a Playstation 2 RPG instead of a movie. Actually, "Final Fantasy: Advent Children"'s animation is a LOT better and that came out first.
I get the idea, this is an experiment in motion-capture and CG effects, but it did not do this movie any favors. However, once you give up and accept the movie as it is, it's a lot of fun. It's not for little kids though, as there's a lot of violence, but it's all so unrealistic and exaggerated that you don't really care.
And at times, this is a bizarre film. Sometimes the characters speak in Old English, in others with Scottish accents, and in a very funny scene (but completely out of place), the vikings sing songs using modern (and offensive) slang. So this movie is clearly not for purists.
The one great thing that this movie had was the music. Alan Silvestri did a great job here, and the soundtrack is worth buying. From the opening theme to the Queen's lovely harp chanting, the music is awesome and worthy of an epic. Unfortunately this is not the case with the rest of Beowulf. It's a fun action-fantasy story and an enjoyable experience, but instantly forgettable.