A must see in my book.

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2007)

Grand and EPIC do not even begin to do justice to the masterpiece that is Beowulf!!! Magnificent! This movie has it ALL! It is a poignant touching cautionary tale that will lie on your soul. The script is perfectly adapted and keeps a fast pace. Beginning to end this experience is a THRILL ride of event and twists. The CGI is so amazingly real it is awe-inspiring. Most of the time you forget that it is even CG. If anything it was *more* real than live action, in that the monsters and humans were perfectly integrated and so you never notice any special effects. It provides a continuity the film would not have had in live action. I have seen many realistic CGI films but this is an entirely new level. The hardest part is eyes. Anthony Hopkins has a way of expressing with his eyes like few actors do. Certainly, I expected, that would be lost in the CG. It was not. The pores on the skin, the sweet, the facial and body hairs, the control overt lighting and shadows was spectacular. Even though much of the lighting was candles that flicker the lighting was believable and realistic. Nothing less than astonishing! I would forget it was CG until things like Grendel the monster with no skin would show up all bloody a dripping mucus and puss. Then I was thankful I never encountered such a foul being in real life. Did I mention, don't take the children. I even had the opportunity to see the 3D version. The realism of a man getting impaled by the chandelier and the blood flying right at your face in 3D makes it even more graphic. On the other hand, the realism of Angelina Jolie's breasts popping out of the scene in 3D on several occasions was ... well, breathtaking. She was however, more than just eye candy, she voiced the role spectacularly. All the voice talent was phenomenal Ray Winstone reminds me of Russell Crowe's performance in Gladiator. This is much better yet in my opinion. At one point King Hrothgar says "The Gods will not do for us what we do not do for our selves. What we need now is a HERO." It takes a super hero of super heroes to be a Danish Viking Legend and the voice and the character of Beowulf (Ray Winstone) work together, pulling of shear authenticity in an unbelievable fictional character. How do you compliment the acting when it is CG, well I must because Hopkins is still a master. I ramble on so I will not get into the story now, but you will be touched by the innocence of a grotesque monster in pain, stunned by the beauty of the monsters mother, appalled at the state of man who becomes monstrous, moved by the heart and courage a man who chooses to right the wrong he did, and most importantly you will be WOWED by the movie Beowulf! This is a thrill ride. You will want to see it. I hope this is helpful!