Great film, but the graphics are not for everyone.

Rating: 9/10 (16 November 2007)

Beowulf is something akin to 300, but with CGI graphics and less constant violence and more plot. The entire plot is simple to understand, this legendary hero arrives and helps the Danish king against demons in his land. What you see is what you get. The film does have some problems but these depend on what you feel about the CGI.
The obvious thing some might think is that the film simply looks like Shrek without a colourful cast and some fighting. It can seem like this as times but there are some points in the movie where it looks pretty convincing, and others where it could be straight out of a video game. If you like CGI, you'll have a ball, if you don't, you should probably give it a miss unless you feel you can get past it.
If the graphics aren't a problem, what you will find is an action filled, sorrowful and at times, humorous film. It's not just about Beowulf saving the day and getting his face on a cereal box, important characters can die and drastic events happen. The violence in it is nowhere near 300 however, as there are not many moments with large scale battles going on, and even then it's more about arrows rather than gore. There are a couple of scenes involving dismemberment, but don't expect a pool of blood and death.
The other more mature factor of the film is obviously the nudity. Beowulf strips off for an entire fight scene against a demon but anything you don't need to see is covered up by random objects, which can either be a relief or simply like a cartoon which you can't take seriously. The other is Jolie but there's nothing much to see except the figure. It's fine for a kid to see as long as they don't start bursting out laughing when Beowulf is naked.
There are a some negative points however. Aside from the CGI which some may not like, the film takes place on a relatively small area. The movie is on a 30-40 year time line and for all this you see the same sets, being the town, countryside and Grendel's cave, with some scenes of the beach. Don't hope for an epic quest like Lord of the Rings. It isn't that much of a problem but you can be very bored when you see the same tavern and cave the entire time.
In conclusion, Beowulf is a good movie for those who enjoy it's setting and effects. If you like the CGI, and are interested in either fantasy, history or mythology, Beowulf is an enjoyable outing with some niggles. If you don't like any of these, it's best to steer clear of it. Great film, but limited on who'll enjoy it.