Entertainment :: Movies
Beowulf by David Foucher
EDGE PublisherFriday Nov 16, 2007 See it in 3-D. See it in 3-D. See it in 3-D.
There. Now that the most important part of this review has been burned into your retinas, we can discuss "Beowulf." Combining two new technologies - stereoscopy and completely digital characters - Robert Zemeckis has successfully transformed perhaps the most tedious of all heroic epic poems into a fast-paced, entertaining, must-see holiday release. There are no live actors on screen, just CGI enhanced via performance capture; this is the technology that was used to create "The Polar Express" a few years ago, to mixed reviews. In "Beowulf," Zemeckis has found the perfect vehicle for his digital toys: a cross between "300," "The Lord of the Rings"... and curiously, "Austin Powers." But more on that later.
For those who have deliberately blacked out the memory of the poem, "Beowulf" tells the epic story of a young hero (Ray Winstone) who crosses a storm-tossed sea to rid the besieged Danish lands of King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) and Queen Weathow (Robin Wright Penn) from a hideous, oozing, pussy, deformed monster with serious hygiene issues (Crispin Glover) named Grendel. It goes well: after Beowulf tears off the big lug’s arm, Grendel whimpers back to his cave to die. Unfortunately, Grendel’s mom (Angelina Jolie) doesn’t take this well: she goes on a murdering rampage until Beowulf seeks her out. Rather than disemboweling him for her pain, she rises from the muck and seduces him - freeing the old king from a similar burden, instituting Beowulf as the new king, and setting up a course of events that will see him revisited by his sins - big time.
Zemeckis shows real smarts with the film; by providing us flawed heros instead of the innocent children from "Polar Express," he forces emotional distance between us and his protagonists. It’s less bothersome, therefore, when the CGI characters fail to effectively emote. This technology has improved greatly in the interim, but there are still moments in the film when physical actions seem unnaturally stiff - and on many occasions, particularly in the character of John Malkovich’s Unferth, faces still appear wooden.
Zemeckis also delivers more of a video game sensibility to the film, adding humor, nudity and extraordinary visual effects to its palette. During their confrontation, Beowulf takes on Grendel wearing nothing at all; to maintain a PG-13 rating, he strategically places people, swords, and shadows in the foreground so that we can glory in the man’s exquisitely drawn physique while enjoying no clear shot of his manhood. It’s difficult to know whether to cheer or laugh as he takes on the slobbering monster due to this sequence’s cheek - it’s reminiscent of the visual trickery found in all three Austin Powers films. And that’s fine: even if the fight is not quite as dramatic as it could have been, the movie still entertains. The best example of this comedic flair arrives when Jolie’s character confronts Beowulf, and after rising from the sinister waters, strides toward him in high-heels - hysterical!
For all its charm and good looks, however, "Beowulf" lacks poetic accuracy, mass appeal and soul. It deviates from the original poem in fairly significant ways (Beowulf’s deal with the devil is the most significant departure). It’s also highly targeted - to teenage boys, gamers and the like; this is not a date movie or the right choice for your entire family on Thanksgiving night. And while the text of Beowulf inspired Tolkien and clearly Peter Jackson’s "Lord of the Rings" trilogy inspired Zemeckis’ technological development, it’s nearly impossible to watch "Beowulf" without at all times being cognizant of the technology at work. This awareness robs the film of both immediacy and emotional impact - you’re marveling at the work rather than succumbing to the story. There may be a future for Zemeckis’ brand of digital legerdemain... but it still lacks the intrinsic values of human performance.
To carp on these issues, or allow them to impact a judgement on "Beowulf," is not exactly fair; as judged on its own merits as a completely CGI movie, it’s the best I’ve ever seen. It’s also a rambunctious good time that MUST be seen on the big screen with 3-D glasses on your face - because "Beowulf" also sports some of the most ambitious and effective stereoscopic work out there. Admittedly, it takes a certain type of person to want to watch an epic poem brought to life by computer with bug-glasses on their head - but I’m one of them, for good or ill. If that description fits you, get your ass to "Beowulf."
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