Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #875 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-03-17
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Formats: Dolby, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 110 minutes

Amazon.co.uk
Spectacular animated action scenes turn the ancient epic poem Beowulf into a modern fantasy movie, while motion-capture technology transforms plump actor Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) into a burly Nordic warrior. When a Danish kingdom is threatened by the monster Grendel (voiced and physicalised by Crispin Glover, River's Edge), Beowulf--lured by the promise of heroic glory--comes to rescue them. He succeeds, but falls prey to the seductive power of Grendel's mother, played by Angelina Jolie... and as Jolie's pneumatically animated form rises from an underground lagoon with demon-claw high heels, it becomes clear that we're leaving the original epic far, far behind. Regrettably, the motion-capture process has made only modest improvements since The Polar Express; while the characters' eyes no longer look so flat and zombie-like, their faces remain inexpressive and movements are still wooden. As a result, the most effective sequences feature wildly animated battles and the most vivid character is Grendel, whose grotesqueness ends up making him far more sympathetic than any of the mannequin-like human beings. The meant-to-be-titillating images of a naked Jolie resemble an inflatable doll more than a living, breathing woman (or succubus, as the case may be). But the fights--particularly Grendel's initial assault on the celebration hut--pop with lushly animated gore and violence. Also featuring the CGI-muffled talents of Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs), Robin Wright Penn (The Princess Bride), and John Malkovich (Dangerous Liaisons). --Bret Fetzer

DVD Description
After destroying the overpowering demon Grendel, Beowulf incurs the undying wrath of the beast's ruthlessly seductive mother, who will use any means possible to ensure revenge. What follows in an epic battle that will resonate through the ages, and immortalise the name of Beowulf.

Synopsis
Using the same CGI technique as his film The Polar Express, Robert Zemeckis directs this adaptation of Beowulf and Grendel's legendary story. Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, and Ray Winstone voice the epic heroes and villains with a script from Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary.

Customer Reviews

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This is a more complete telling of the story than Gerard Butler's "Beowulf and Grendel" (which omits Beowulf's triumphant return home and fatal encounter with a dragon), but a much worse film. It's let down by the amateurish computer animations, which don't blend well with the live action. It looks like a cross between "Shrek" and "Lord of the rings", the worst thing being the My Little Pony-style horses: these are just a disgrace to the industry. And why do all the characters appear to be cross-eyed?! The depiction of Grendel as someone suffering from noisy neighbours is quite sympathetic, but Angelina Jolie as his mum? Come off it. Both films are a disappointment as versions of the original story, but this one is just awful.

A Beowulf in sheeps clothing.
Not that i,m an expert or anything like that but reading up on the subject of Beowulf it rapidly becomes clear that this film version has taken a few liberties with the source material. The screenplay by Roger Avary ("Pulp Fiction") and Neil Gaiman ( "Stardust") invests the epic 9th century poem with debatable contemporary affectations some of which had me snorting with laughter . It is also woefully miscast for the main role .Yet for all this i found Beowulf to be hugely entertaining .....daft beyond belief but entertaining.
Using the motion capture technology that director Robert Zemekis also utilised for "The Polar Express" Beowulf tells the tale of proud warrior leader Beowulf ( Ray Winstone) who answers a distress call from a settlement led my drunken oaf Hrothgar ( Anthony Hopkins) to rid them of a pustulant monster called Grendel (Crispin Glover spouting Anglo Saxon) who is driven mad by the sound of people making merry. This is a problem because that,s all the settlement seem to do. Grendel is a truly loathsome specimen who not only looks like Pete Doherty (minus silly hat) but more terrifyingly sounds like him as well.
Grendel,s mother is an aquatic water demon but that's fine because she looks like Angelina Jolie , though it,s the Angelina Jolie with the mangled accent she used in "Alexander". She,s very seductive is the demon/ Angelina hybrid with her pendulous copper toned breasts and six inch high heels!!! Beowulf certainly can,t resist her despite his glowing horn....or maybe because of it. There is a soap style shock concerning Grendels parentage-absents fathers ehhh? but the fertile Angelina/demon hybrid is not finished , giving birth to a truly enormous dragon ( i presume she gave birth and did,nt pick him up from some dragon orphanage) whose battle with Beowulf gives the film a thrilling climax.
There is an awful lot wrong with Beowulf . The motion capture technology , which for me gave "The Polar Express" a seasonal glow , lacks the nuances required for a true drama. Away from the action sequences the film does,nt work . The motion capture does,nt convey the emotions of the characters with any conviction , indeed the most convincing characters are Grendel and the dragon. Which of course means the actors vocal talents are even more important. Beowulf using the voice of Ray Winstone just does,nt work. In certain roles Winstone is peerless but he seems incapable of doing anything without his "Eastenders" accent which when he is portraying a middle age warrior is ridiculous. John Malkovich and Robin Wright Penn are lumbered with roles that really don,t go anywhere, only Brendan Gleeson as Beowulf's right hand man is given a decent fleshed ( literally) out role.
Beowulf is,nt especially likable either. He struts around , shouting a lot which to be fair is probably warrior like behaviour but he also perplexingly fights in the nude which means the director has to conjure up copious cinematic tricks to keep his motion capture genitalia hidden. All of which tumescent meandering leads me to cogitate that the 3D cinema version missed a trick.
Yet for all this Beowulf is tremendous fun for the most part. The scenes where Grendel attacks the village, a flashback scene involving sea serpents and when Beowulf battles the dragon are technically brilliant and hugely exciting. And am i alone in finding the motion capture Jolie more alluring than the real one? So while i would never acclaim this as a film with any longevity in cinematic terms i would recommend that you watch it at least once. And the bits with Angelina Jolie maybe more than once.

Poor
Do NOT buy this film before watching it.

They had the source material for a fantastic movie here, but what we got was a firework-show of special effects with no backbone whatsoever. There are some fun/interesting moments, but the script and plot are an embarrassment to the film industry.

'Mindless fun' is the best compliment I could give this film.