See it in big screen 3D or not at all

Rating: 3/10 (5 January 2008)

Wildly uneven on every level retelling of the "classic" poem.
I saw this first in 2D and the following week in 3D. I really hated it in 2D I liked it more in 3D If you must see this see it in 3D. The action set pieces, 3 battles with Grendel, the sea monsters and the dragon castle attack are spectacular (though the Grendel attacks are kind of dull). The 3D viewing will explain why you have a constant moving of the camera-endless tracking shots that serve no real purpose except make you go "ooo and ah" in 3D. It will also explain why you have these really bad perspective shots like a sentry's lance in your face. The 50's and 80's 3D craze had some odd shots but nothing as awkward (in 2D) as those in this film.
The script is uneven. There are lots of moments of hysterical satire and hysterically bad lines of dialog (this is a movie you can laugh at and with). When the film isn't in motion the film often stalls in long long winded scenes of dialog that are just plain awful.(And yes it is possible to know what Neil Gaiman wrote, especially if you've read his paycheck comics and watched his earlier film adventures). Clearly the script was suppose to be a joke, but Zemekis didn't seem to notice and filmed it straight removing much of the humor along the way.
And thats the problem. Zemekis insistence on doing this as motion capture because "it would cost too much as a live action film" is what ruins the subtleties the script might have had (and is pure horse hockey since all monster and action stuff would have been CGI anyway). First off the most of the character animation sucks. The characters are pasty faced non-emotive automatons that go threw the motions. I felt I was watching the road company of the background characters from Shrek 3. The technique pretty much prevents any sort of real performance with the exception of Ray Winstone and Anthony Hopkins.(John Malkovich gives a performance but its so bizarre as to classified as a knowing joke). Robin Wright Penn's character-vital to the story- is so stiff (in every sense of the word) that it looks embalmed. The animation is often worse than any big budget computer game, and worse than whats coming out of Japan or out of many film studios effect houses.
Another major problem (especially in 2D where the visuals don't distract you from the many flaws) is the damned choral score which is repetitive to the point of making you want to commit suicide. Its ten times worse than any video game ear worm you've ever heard and been scared by.
There are some great sequences as I said. the action scenes are spectacular with Beowulf's sea battle and dragon battle being the very very bloody highlights. They are the reasons the film might have a life on DVD and cable, since flat or 3D they are way cool.
Two other points I think I should mention.
First clearly there is something wrong when this film is PG13 and Tekkonkinkreet is R. Grendel is far more bloody and sexually (both straight and gay) in your face that the animated film from Japan.If you want to see the effect of a big studio on the ratings board this is it. Honestly many "bloody" horror films don't have this much blood. The fights in this film are bloody and disgusting and make you wonder about the ratings board.(This is a really really bloody movie) Secondly anyone else but me feel that Grendel is throw back to the old days where mentally or physically handicapped people were to be locked up in the attic and feared because they were different? Come on strip away the monstrous size and fact that by the time we meet him, Grendel has gone insane from being locked in a cave, he is a "special needs" child gone bad. Its sad.
When I saw this is 3D I was less critical because of the visual effects but it still didn't make it really a batter film, just one where the flash hides the flaws. So as a 3D film the effects will make the action scenes enough of a thrill ride to get past the deadly slow talky bits-so it 6 out 10 as 3D As a 2D film where nothing is in your face and it all looks odd 3 to 4 out of 10, with a couple of great action scenes that are great regardless of flat or multi dimensional. Unfortunately the talky bits make it very tough going with out the gee whiz of the 3D.
Lastly, this and the 3D process are being hailed by some as the future of movies; If this is the future of movies we all deserve to go blind.