When a disturbing beast named Grendel continues to terrorize a small village, killing them all at will, it is up to Beowulf, a Scandinavian hero to provide protection. But Grendel is only the beginning of the village's problems. Mourning the violent death of her son, Grendel's mother seeks revenge, targeting the hero for her lose. It is up to Beowulf and his men to ward off the furious mother and save the town from another blood bath, but this time it won't be as easy.
Showcasing advancement in digital animation, Beowulf displays some of the most fascinating animation sequences I have ever seen; however the film relies too heavily on this aspect and unfortunately suffers as it never works to go deeper than eye level.
Like the poem the film is slow moving, causing the audience to loose focus and interest. Put together by three intense scenes of fighting and discovery, one with Grendel, one with Grendel's mother and one with a dragon, the film has action. Unfortunately the between times proves to be the films demise as it suffers from overloaded dialogue, uninteresting character development and unwarranted sexual "˜jokes.' These simple misrepresentations force the film to drag in the mud, falling short of expectations.
With that said I have to commend the film on its animation. Hearing an actor's voice, seeing their face and knowing it is animation is something that still blows my mind; the battle scenes are real and intense, not to mention the depiction of hairs and pebbles of sand that work their way onto the screen during the film's entirety. Put together, the animation saves the film from its possible foreseen failure as it at least keeps you concentrated on the screen instead of your watch.
In the end the film was decent. Though struck down due to boring dialogue and character interactment, the film thrives on animation and technology. If you are in for a fascinating animation show this film is for you "“ just remember that it isn't one for the kids.
