trailer...
Synopsis
The warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.
My Take
Animated movies have come very far since the prehistoric days of Toy Story, every year another animated movie attempts to top the previous one, not only in animation skill but credibility. I mean, honestly, how many people will raise their hand when you ask them, "Who wants to see the movie Beowulf, a story with action, bloodshed, rich folklore, and hot women?" And then how many put them down when you mention the words "animated movie"? Just about all of them. Compare the animation style with the only other one like it (Polar Express) and then you've got no hands up. People are turned off to animations in general, they think it's just kid stuff. Beowulf however is not a force to be compared with on the front of its "stereotypical" cartoon counterparts; which in turns is a good thing and a bad thing.
First back-story: CGI animated feature based on the Norse epic poem about the hero who saved a Danish kingdom from a monstrous creature, which was killing and terrifying the people: After dispatching the creature, Beowulf becomes the new king, but the creature's ruthless and seductive mother will use any means to ensure revenge. With the voices of Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson and Angelina Jolie. Directed by Robert Zemeckis. The movie runs up an hour and fifty-three minutes.
It's a good thing in the respect that the animation is almost unholy. Unholy in the fact that at times (more often than not) it crosses realities and for moments you can't tell the differences between animation and live action. The movie takes it self seriously. The whole cartoon rigmarole is cut down within the first 15 minutes of the film when on-screen characters are tossed about like rag dolls by a hideous monster (really, Grendel is a hideous looking creature..I mean I didn't think something this ugly could by thought up of) and there bodies are ripped in half, tossed on spears/pointed objects, and no sound nor sight is spared. Yeah, all of the sudden you regret bringing your kids (and/or your girlfriend) to this one. The story is also a compelling one. Based on a real epic (I had to read it for British Literature) written hundreds of years ago, I was glad to see it stuck closely to the book. The story is never a happy one, as Beowulf's problems seem to stack upon each other until his very life hangs in balance. His desire for glory (and lust) ends up sticking a fork in his entire legacy and ruins the man very much into the ground.
The movie does serve as an allegory for the deadly consequences of sin (sounds like No Country for Old Men); and proves the Biblical verses of "Be sure your sin will find you out" and "Whatever a man sows, he reaps". Despite what you figure to be a small magnitude of sin, can always come back many years later, many times the size of its original. Chrisitanity is, however, tossed to the side as the king's advisor asks the king whether or not they should try praying to the new Christian founder Jesus Christ for protection against Grendel, to which the says no and explains that it is a problem only a man can solve (then says they need a "real" hero). Later, Beowulf curses the Christ-God for some reason or another. The film serves a grim moral depiction of lives without Christ, and the destruction it brings not only to oneself but to others as well.
I did mention a bad side. Well, be forewarned no child should watch this movie. This is the most violent animated movie I've ever seen. I could not believe the amount of bloodshed and "gross parts" featured. They were cool, but I just wasn't expecting them. Also, Angelina Jolie is nude in the movie. I don't know why this isn't "R" rated (I feel strongly as though it should have been); the scenes that feature her linger over the nudity, not just a scant second or two. Because it's animated, they probably let this slide (just like Bart's wiener in the Simpson's movie). I often felt disappointed when she was on screen, because I felt that while her beauty was to bring Beowulf's lust and temptation to life, it seemed unnecessarily long and leery. I was not expecting the amount that was featured. You have been advised. There is no cursing.
Beowulf serves to be a tragic look at the human condition. Sin bears deadly consequences, lust becomes a feeding ground for evil to come, and (of course) humans cannot save themselves. The question of "What can we put faith in" comes to play, because if the Norse gods, or any other gods of man, and most importantly man himself, cannot save them from the condition of sin, what can? This can be used for teaching purposes, or serve as a highly entertaining Friday night flick – but be cautioned about 1 (one) nude Angelina Jolie and one (1) very bloody, very gory movie.
Until the next flick,
Zachary Anderson
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