Cutscene, not film

Rating: 5/10 (8 May 2008)

Well,
I consider myself as a fan of the old Nordic sagas, and the movies based on them, like the Excalibur, or the 13th Warrior. So I looked forward to see this movie with great interest. Apart form the films, where the visuals cover the weaknesses of the script/directing, the script here is very good. Based on a millennium old tale, actualized by professionals: and the promise is kept. The visual experience, when we talk about action and scenery, is simply stunning. Even on a screen at home.
However when we talk about closeups, the whole thing just falls apart. The eyes are dead, and improperly used, the mimic is awful. This renders the actors(?) to puppets, and eliminates the whole humanity from the film. I do not understand, why such great actors like Anthony Hopkins, or John Malkovich let the producers to use them. What makes it more annoying, that the film industry is after 300, or Sin City, or even Shrek, where the balanced mix between technology and reality had been worked out just perfectly. Why fails here? There is one exception, the figure of Grendel. Despite his complete inhumanity, the only "acting" is performed by Grendel.
The overall feeling was that I'm watching an enormous cut-scene from some slashing computer game, and in minutes I will have control over the characters, and can start my own adventure. A twisted way of "immersion" I would say. So if you like nice CGI generated action and scenery, go and see it. If you are interested in the plot, wait for the book. If you are interested in the plot visually, I recommend the 13th Warrior, or the Excalibur.