Technology fails to improve a classic
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Arts & Culture
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Beowulf-C-
Using a clever marriage of the latest motion capture technology and historical fiction, director Robert Zemeckis brings the age-old story of Beowulf to the big screen. The results are an average mix of visual excitement and lackluster execution.
For viewers aiming to see a celluloid representation of the classic Story, stop reading now! This film is not the original tale.
Beowulf is a glitzy and glamorous Hollywood makeover of a story that was already legendary in the first place.
The film opens as a king and his subjects are celebrating in their kingdom. As the drinks flow and the party gets rowdy, the mountain monster, Grendel, lumbers down the hill and busts up the party that has been disturbing his slumber. At this point a massive amount of carnage ensues. People are ripped apart, stomped and slaughtered brutally so that he can rest. Though all who are heard making noise are seemingly snuffed out, the king is left alive and angry at the carnage that has befallen his people.
It is soon revealed that the mountain monster episode is not the first to happen and the king is powerless to stop it. In a desperate attempt to liberate his kingdom, the king sends for fierce Scandinavian warrior, Beowulf, and his men to dispose of the problem.
Without too much question, the legendary Beowulf arrives to take care of the bad guy. What he learns after a stark naked fight and arm ripping defeat of the monster, is that mommy is much worse than her child.
After nearly all of his men are killed and hung by Grendel's mother, he goes to the mountain to face her. What he finds is a gorgeous creature offering him the world in exchange for his love. Revealing an apparent weakness for femininity, Beowulf accepts her gift, forgetting its extreme price.
As promised he becomes king and rules a wealthy land that never loses war. All is well until he begins fighting a creature much like the one that was disturbing the kingdom when he arrived.
The remainder of the story mixes classic fiction with modern technology. The fights, flights and characters look almost real in this motion capture masterpiece.
The look of the characters is this film's biggest selling point.
Though they are clearly animated characters, the viewer may wonder if the shots themselves are real. With talent like Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright-Penn, Ray Winstone, John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie giving life to the characters, it is clear that this film is not weak in the line delivery department.
The weaknesses is shown in its choppy storytelling and inconsistent character design. The story has been tweaked so much that one may wonder why it is called Beowulf if everything was updated to fit the film. And the female characters don't look quite as real as their male counterparts.
Aside from Jolie's character, which could have looked a little fake considering she is a monster, all the other ladies look like plastic dolls.
The ending also leaves a little to be desired as well. The ambiguity slices up an otherwise straight forward story.
Bottom Line: This update is nice to look at but lovers of a good story may need to keep looking.
Gregory Brand, Jr.•
Using a clever marriage of the latest motion capture technology and historical fiction, director Robert Zemeckis brings the age-old story of Beowulf to the big screen. The results are an average mix of visual excitement and lackluster execution.
For viewers aiming to see a celluloid representation of the classic Story, stop reading now! This film is not the original tale.
Beowulf is a glitzy and glamorous Hollywood makeover of a story that was already legendary in the first place.
The film opens as a king and his subjects are celebrating in their kingdom. As the drinks flow and the party gets rowdy, the mountain monster, Grendel, lumbers down the hill and busts up the party that has been disturbing his slumber. At this point a massive amount of carnage ensues. People are ripped apart, stomped and slaughtered brutally so that he can rest. Though all who are heard making noise are seemingly snuffed out, the king is left alive and angry at the carnage that has befallen his people.
It is soon revealed that the mountain monster episode is not the first to happen and the king is powerless to stop it. In a desperate attempt to liberate his kingdom, the king sends for fierce Scandinavian warrior, Beowulf, and his men to dispose of the problem.
Without too much question, the legendary Beowulf arrives to take care of the bad guy. What he learns after a stark naked fight and arm ripping defeat of the monster, is that mommy is much worse than her child.
After nearly all of his men are killed and hung by Grendel's mother, he goes to the mountain to face her. What he finds is a gorgeous creature offering him the world in exchange for his love. Revealing an apparent weakness for femininity, Beowulf accepts her gift, forgetting its extreme price.
As promised he becomes king and rules a wealthy land that never loses war. All is well until he begins fighting a creature much like the one that was disturbing the kingdom when he arrived.
The remainder of the story mixes classic fiction with modern technology. The fights, flights and characters look almost real in this motion capture masterpiece.
The look of the characters is this film's biggest selling point.
Though they are clearly animated characters, the viewer may wonder if the shots themselves are real. With talent like Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright-Penn, Ray Winstone, John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie giving life to the characters, it is clear that this film is not weak in the line delivery department.
The weaknesses is shown in its choppy storytelling and inconsistent character design. The story has been tweaked so much that one may wonder why it is called Beowulf if everything was updated to fit the film. And the female characters don't look quite as real as their male counterparts.
Aside from Jolie's character, which could have looked a little fake considering she is a monster, all the other ladies look like plastic dolls.
The ending also leaves a little to be desired as well. The ambiguity slices up an otherwise straight forward story.
Bottom Line: This update is nice to look at but lovers of a good story may need to keep looking.
Gregory Brand, Jr.•
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