Movie Review: Beowulf (IMAX 3D)

Beowulf
IMAX 3D
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
Starring Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn
Rated PG-13
Release date: Nov. 16, 2007

Before the dissection begins, allow me to give you my overall generic gut-instinct first-impression sentiment: Beowulf is an amazing movie that’s visually stunning and highly engrossing; I totally recommend it, especially in IMAX 3D. I preface my review with this simple statement because no matter what else I say about the movie in the next 800 or so words, I know damn well that when Beowulf comes out on DVD, I’m going to own it and when Beowulf airs on cable television, I’ll watch it every time it’s on just because it’s on … because it’s entertaining.

But Beowulf is no ordinary film. It’s controversial not for its violence and nudity or any artistic liberties taken in translating the sixth-century Old English poem onto the big screen. Nope, it’s causing a stir because it’s an animated movie that refuses to accept that its an animated movie, therefore, the audience can’t accept it either.

Here’s why: For the entire film, director Robert Zemeckis employed motion (or performance) capture technology, a technique that has live actors wear special “marking” suits that digitally capture their motions and those movements are then used to create animated characters. This type of filmmaking is perfect for creating characters like Gollum in Lord of the Rings and the hideous monster Grendel in Beowulf, because it allows an actor to deliver a true-life performance for a creature … something that only exists through an artist’s palate. But using motion capture to render near-perfect human replicas on screen, placing them in realistic-looking CGI settings is where the conflict lies. How real should an animation appear? How real should an animation attempt to be?

During the viewing, I kept imagining how grand the non-animated version of this Beowulf movie would be. Then I realized that this version could have no live-action equal, mainly because the Beowulf character we are seeing does not exist in real life. While Ray Winstone gives an excellent voice and physical presence to the title hero, which I’m sure is why he was cast in the role, he looks nothing like his on-screen counterpart. Honestly, that blows my mind a bit.

But, I was definitely impressed with the animation, so much so that I found myself watching so carefully that it detracted my attention from the actual story. I kept trying to find a “mistake,” a moment where something looked “fake.” Well, try hard enough and you’ll find something … a horse galloping a bit too rigidly, a soldier’s walk looks more like a glide, or a character’s eyes seeming a little too vacant. I imagine we’ll be less analytical of and more accustomed to motion capture technology as it becomes more commonplace in filmmaking (and you know it will).

So, is Beowulf an animated masterpiece? It sure is. Before going to see it in IMAX 3D, I read many interviews with the cast and filmmakers, kept up with co-screenwriter Neil Gaiman‘s numerous blog entries regarding the writing of the script with Roger Avary, and watched every trailer and movie clip, yet nothing prepared me for the movie I saw.

It’s the year 507 A.D. and Danish King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins), his young Queen Wealthow (Robin Wright Penn), and their subjects are under constant threat from the monster Grendel (Crispin Glover), who dwells in a nearby cave, plagued by the noisy merriment resonating from the King’s mead hall. From across the turbulent sea leading a band of Geat warriors comes the fierce Beowulf, ready to dispatch the monster. While the King has faith in the Geat’s abilities, his seedy advisor Unferth (John Malkovich) doesn’t and takes every opportunity to mock Beowulf and his boastful claims of past victories. When Beowulf does come face to face with Grendel, the outcome seals his destiny, setting him on an unexpected path leading him to an encounter with the demon seductress referred to as Grendel’s mother (Angelina Jolie).

At this point, I won’t assume (like other reviewers) that everyone’s read the book and knows the whole story, so I won’t go into every detail of what happens next. But since you already know it’s about a legendary warrior, I think it’s safe to reveal that there’s plenty of amazing-looking hand-to-hand combat and battles with sea monsters and a dragon (here’s where all that advanced CGI pays off). Oh, and where there’s a demon seductress, there’s gonna be a seduction.

But, even if you have read the book, remember, this is a Hollywood movie — faithful adaptations are few and far between. Luckily, Gaiman and Avary’s screenplay, which the duo began writing in 1997, does stick to the original poem for the most part with a little modern-day humor infused into the mix. Plus, they added an additional storyline that coincidentally increased Jolie’s screen time and allowed for an interesting twist to Beowulf’s destiny.

Beowulf is playing in IMAX 3D, digital, and conventional theaters, and while I’ve only watched it in IMAX 3D, I’m guessing that’s the way to go if possible. It’s the filmmakers’ preferred format and a great opportunity for moviegoers to see an innovative, ground-breaking animated fantasy in the highest quality version. I might make my way to the conventional theater for a showing, so if I see no difference, I’ll be back with an update.