Beowulf: an Animated New Take on an Ancient Myth

I will be reviewing the new animated movie Beowulf so I chose a fractal called Odin. (I did a whole series of fractals representing Gods of various pantheons: since Odin is mentioned in the movie I decided to use it as my image for today‘s post.) Again, I’m stretching a bit to come up with an image for my post but I gotta do what I gotta do to put something up for you.
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Beowulf is a true “classic”. It may well be the oldest surviving work of “English” literature--so old in fact that it is written in Old English from even older oral sources. Frankly I’m surprised it took this long to bring the movie to the big screen: the story of a lusty barbarian slaying monsters and becoming king seems ripe for the big screen.
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This new animated version of Beowulf departs somewhat from the source material to flesh out and connect the two stories. King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) has just built a new “Mead Hall” to celebrate his many victories. But the celebration is ruined by the untimely arrival of the gigantic, misshapen monster Grendel (voiced by Crispin Glover speaking what sounds like old English) who uses the king’s guests as after-dinner snacks. Blond and buff barbarian Beowulf (Ray Windstone) and his men arrive to save th day, slaying the monster after a spectacular battle. The celebration after the monster’s death is ruined by another collection of grisly murders. Horthgar reveals that Grendel has a mother--and she’s angry!
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Here the movie departs from the source-myth. Horthgar has a secret (which I won‘t reveal here) but sends the hero out over the objections of his trusted advisor Unferth (John Malkovich in “high snivel“ mode). Beowulf confronts the demon mother (Angelina Jolie in a role tailor-made for her). Beowulf strikes a “devil’s bargain that wins him a kingdom and everything he could desire--including the old king’s beautiful queen Wealthow (Robin Wright-Penn). Many years later the bargain is broken and Beowulf is forced into final battle with a dragon.
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Director Robert Zemeckis uses the same “motion capture” animation technique he used in The Polar Express. Two years of new technology has made the look of Beowulf somewhat better. Still, the human figures have a rather “Barbie”-like look and their flat dead eyes are somewhat creepy. As a whole the movie is beautifully animated and the battle scenes are nothing short of spectacular. The story is somewhat predictable (even with the new twist) and the dialog is frankly cheesy. Still, it makes for a delightfully fun, if campy, romp.
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Beowulf isn’t quite a classic but well worth seeing for what it is. Some parents may be lured into taking young children to the movie because it is an animated feature. This movie though is NOT for children! It is loaded with graphic (if somewhat cartoonish) violence and brimming with (animated) nudity. If this had been shot with “live” actors Beowulf would have gotten an “R” Rating instead of “PG13”. It is not a movie for young children or those with delicate sensibilities but a lot of those who like action movies.
FINAL GRADE: A-