Advantages: Fantastic graphics, story and casting!
Disadvantages: Want to watch it again and again!

...I do have to confess that originally I was taken to see this film under duress! My fiance is a sci-fi and animation fan -so after a tolerable amount of begging I was pesuaded to join him to watch Beowulf at the cinema. I was expecting craptacular, not spectacular. Beowulf The film was released in 2007 and is directed by Robert Zemeckis, who also directed the Polar Express. It is a time of legends, heroes and monsters - a conquering succession of valiant, brave men with a sword in their hand and a beer in their guts! Set in the 8th Century, Beowulf tells the story of the mightiest of all warriors, Beowulf! he is the hero of the Geats and he arrives at a village besieged by the terrifying Grendel. the monster Grendel keeps attacking the danish mead hall. The village has resorted to locking it up and forbidding any celebrations which... Read review

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Advantages: Good attempt at 3D CGI
Disadvantages: Bland

...Director: Robert Zemeckis Screenplay: Neil Gaiman & Roger Avary Genre: Action - Adventure - Drama - Fantasy Country: USA Certification: 12+ Language: English Released: 17th March, 2008 (DVD) MAIN CAST: Ray Winstone (Voice of Beowulf) Crispin Glover (Voice of Grendel) Angelina Jolie (Voice of Grendel's mother) Anthony Hopkins (Voice of Hrothgar) Hearing of a monster/troll terrorising the kingdom ruled by Hrothgar, Beowulf makes his way there in order to defeat the creature. What Beowulf doesn't know is that the creature (Grendel) is Hrothgar's son conceived by a 'sea witch' (for lack of a better word). When Beowulf finally kills Grendel, the kingdom is besieged by Grendel's mother, who is intent on revenge.... until she meets Beowulf 'in-the-flesh', and decides that she wants him to give her another son... Read review

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Advantages: Well chosen cast, interesting plot progression, great use of CGI.
Disadvantages: To see the film in 3D would be to really complete the experience.

...In November 2007 director Robert Zemeckis brought us the hit film that is 'Beowulf'. It is based on the Old English epic poem of the same name and was captured in a similar way as was utilised by Zemeckis in his 2004 film 'The Polar Express'. I'm not usually a massive fan of motion capture films, but as soon as I saw the trailer for this film I just knew that I had to see it. 'Beowulf' really captured my imagination and as I prepared to view it I think that to say I was excited would be a gross understatement. Cast in this film are people such as John Malkovich, Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, and even Anthony Hopkins. With this being a motion picture, none of them physically appear but what can be noted when viewing this film is that the on screen representations of these stars bear a great similarity and resemblance to how all... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: The leading lady; I would walk over broken glass to pump her tyres.
Disadvantages: Lots. But the ludicrous soundtrack wins a prize.

...It takes talent to make a film as bad as this. I may have wasted £2.75 at ‘Blockbusters’ to watch it, but in a way it was money well spent. Let me explain; mediocrity is the curse of the reviewer, it is hard to write opinions when you don’t have strong feelings about the subject, but this film provided me with plenty of ammunition. For those of you who are not familiar with ‘Beowulf’, a short explanation is required. Beowulf is an epic poem written in Olde English, which is variously dated as between a thousand and fifteen hundred years old. It concerns a Danish king whose stronghold is ravaged nightly by a man-eating monster, Grendel. A brave hero from another land, Beowulf, hears of the monster and travels to Denmark to engage the monster in battle. He defeats Grendel in unarmed combat by tearing... Read review

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Advantages: Great adaptation of the ancient anglo poem that it is based upon
Disadvantages: A little slow in places and could have been shorter

...Beowulf 2007 Directed by Robert Zemeckis Animation by Stephen Enticott Running Time: 1 hr. 53 min Distributor: Warner Bros Distributors Ltd Certificate: 12A Release date: 16/11/2007 Cast: Brendan Gleeson - Wiglaf Anthony Hopkins - King Hrothgar Ray Winstone - Beowulf Robin Wright Penn - Queen Wealthow John Malkovich - Unferth Crispin Glover - Grendel Angelina Jolie - Grendel's Mother Alison Lohman - Ursula Charlotte Salt - Estrith Rik Young - Eofor Dominic Keating - Old Cain Chris Coppola - Olaf Greg Ellis - Garmund Leslie Zemeckis - Yrsa Story: The Film Starts in a medieval danish castle where the focus is on a huge celebration in the newly constructed mead hall being hosted by king Hrothgar but as the festivites go on Grendel is awakened and attacks all in the hall... Read review

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Advantages: Unique filming style, good cast
Disadvantages: Thin storyline

...I was un-aware how this film was made before I watched it and what a shock I had. I knew Ray Winstone was playing Beowulf and yet upon seeing him for the first time I was like 'Oh my god, its all CGI!' When I first started to watch I was confused- is this a movie movie or like Shrek the movie? Then I realised it was neither, a unique blend of film and CGI- I thought lets go for it! The CGI I tought helped, when you see and action film with poor CGI it ruins it, this had it all of the way through and it was awesome! The Plot The story is about Beowulf, he travels to Denmark to protect a village and its king from the evil monster Grendel hiding in the caves. Beowulf will be rewarded with gold for his success but soon he realises he a greater prize is available... Upon taking this prize, and many years later, it becomes apparent... Read review

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Advantages: Easy access to Britain's earliest 'Classic'
Disadvantages: Encouraging people to read it in the first place!

...The Seamus Heaney translation has been a God-send to me.I study Anglo-Saxon and as a result have a very limited selection of people that i can usually study my texts with.Which was a pain!...Until i persuaded my Dad, boyfriend and various random members of my family to read this Beowulf translation. The plot of the tale is easy to follow yet gripping as the reader's empathy with Beowulf is deep.JRR Tolkein was a Anglo-Saxon expert and so any lover of Lord of the Rings will love to discover some of his influences (for example Beowulf is the 'ring bearer' of the Geats). It is easy to read but never in a patronising way.It just manages to epitomise the simplicity of the vocabulary used yet keeps the depth of description for the origial by using the compound words typical of ASax.Heaney's use of the alliterative style keeps true... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: fun fun fun
Disadvantages: Plot, Acting, its not like the book

...whispering warrior (See “Highlander” trilogy) which he does so well. The Neo-gothic setting is a nice addition, and the thumping techno soundtrack adds real depth to the fighting scenes. The costumes are brilliant, and the weird weapons and sets are a real treat. The special effects used to create “Grendel” are cheap, but surprisingly effective. What’s wrong with the film? Lots of things. The script is very corny and some of the acting is truly awful. In a way this adds to its charm. I don’t think it was the intention, but this movie resembles those awful “B-Movies” we all love so much. Continuity is a major downfall, which main arises from the fact that most of Beowulf’s weapons are of the throwing style. You may be surprised to find that after the film’s opening fight scene... Read review

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Advantages: Great CGI
Disadvantages: A little ordinary and lifeless

...people, of the construction of his new mead hall. The celebrations, almost predictably with the scene set in dark and bleak lighting effects, are heard by the demon Grendel (Crispin Glover) in his cave. In a rage he attacks the hall and takes the lives of many. However once challenged by King Hrothgar, Grendel retreats into the night, and so the story begins. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) answers the kings call to save his country, and his people, from more death and despare. As you most likely predicted he triumphs over evil and kills Grendel in a flurry of not so impressive moves seeing as it was created by the CGI technique. You would think the film would end there right? Wrong there is more to the tale. With its twisting and winding paths of the main character, I have to say I began to get bored. It just seemed to be predictable on what would... Read review

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Advantages: A bit of a novelty, some interesting threads in the story
Disadvantages: Over long and a bit flat

...As a fan of fantasy fiction, a film version of 'the original' fantasy tale was something that caught my eye. Then the reviews started coming through, and I wasn't so sure. Still... I'm not so familiar with the original epic poem that I'm going to recognise the differences. Beowulf the hero? Check. Grendel the monster? Check. Grendel's mother? Well... not sure she originally looked like Angelina Jolie, but n'mind!! The story here takes the base of the age-old poem, and runs with it - as I say, I couldn't tell you how. However, as a story in itself, I think the movie does okay: it felt like a proper narrative, not something old with a new bit tacked on. All good. We start in Denmark, circa 500AD. Something demonish lurks in the darkness of the local caves, although there doesn't seem to have been much of a problem 'til now. In a move... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful