Image courtesy of www.impawards.com
Director :
Robert Zemeckis
Cast :
Ray Winstone ………. Beowulf (voice)
Anthony Hopkins ………. Hrothgar (voice)
John Malkovich ………. Unferth (voice)
Robin Wright Penn ………. Wealthow (voice)
Brendan Gleeson ………. Wiglaf (voice)
Crispin Glover ………. Grendel (voice)
Alison Lohman ………. Ursula (voice)
Angelina Jolie ………. Grendel’s Mother (voice)
There’s always room for the epic tale of heroism in olden times in the cinematic realm. The few movies that are done per year are at least different from some of the offering available, if not usually better, and occupy a niche in the same way science fiction and costume epics hold. Crowds are usually willing to go see them no matter when they are released. Gladiator and Braveheart both were Academy Award winners, with the former being a considerable commercial hit, while 300 was the surprise of 2007 with a massive box office opening followed by considerable staying power considering it’s release before the summer blockbuster season. On the heels of the Frank Miller epic comes Beowulf, based on the poem of the same name.
The story of Beowulf is common enough that there’s hardly anyone who isn’t familiar with at least the basics. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) is a legendary hero bound by honor to rid the world of Grendel (Crispin Glover), a beast known for its ferocity. After slaying the beast with nothing but his bare hands, famously ripping off Grendel’s arm to use as a weapon against the beast, Beowulf eventually kills the monster’s mother (Angelina Jolie) to top it off. After becoming a king, Beowulf would meet his demise while slaying a dragon. It’s the oldest written story of humankind and a staple of English classes far and wide.
Plenty of films have been made the poem before, most recently one starring Gerard Butler as the titular hero, so it’s not as if Robert Zemeckis’ latest work is covering the subject for the first kind. The key is how he does it, as the creator of The Polar Express has used the same motion capture technology and computer animation for this film as well. Too often we discuss the beauties of animation and how pretty it can make things look; Beowulf takes the next logical step and finds plenty of ugly. This is a heroism tale that delves into some things that are a bit hard to watch. It’s something to behold when an animated film can be stomach churning as opposed to awe-inspiring.
And that’s one of the main problems with the film. It’s focused too much on making the animation look good than investing into the story. Zemeckis seems to be focused too much on what he can with the technology than what he’s actually doing with the story. There are certain liberties that are taken with it in order to transform it from a two act play into a full three part story, most of whom flesh out Beowulf the man in a way that takes away some from the mythos behind the poem, but Zemeckis isn’t as focused in his story-telling as he’s been in the past. This marks his third effort with motion capture, as he directed The Polar Express and was a main producer behind Monster House, and it’s his weakest effort to date with the technology.
That’s not to say it’s not an exciting, action-packed tale. The film moves effortlessly between action sequences and Zemeckis flawlessly develops the epic side of things. Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins), in the aftermath of Grendel’s first attack, talks about needing a hero. Cue Beowulf’s introduction in the sort of manner that befits a hero of old. Zemeckis has a flair for building drama and setting up moments; waiting for Grendel’s attack on Beowulf and his men is remarkably creepy. He knows how to set the scene for iconic moments and doesn’t disappoint.
But that’s also a problem as the film tries too hard to be filled with great moments and doesn’t find any good points between them. It’s the difference between it being a masterwork and being close to it. One thing Gladiator and 300, amongst others, have going for them is that they move seamlessly between the big moments. The little moments mean something; for Beowulf they’re more filler than they are development. It’s a shame, really, because the film’s stumbles take away the momentum it develops early on. The opening half hour is jaw-dropping in its splendor and fury and afterwards the film can’t recapture that sort of magic.
