I really liked it but mostly cause of the story.
I found the cgi annoying half the time and especially at the beginning the movie was quite lagging. Maybe I just got used to it afterwards but it really picks up halfway through. The ending was great!

I saw the film yesterday and really enjoyed it, however, it seems to me that folks have been getting a little too upset by the liberties taken with the story. I love the way that Gaiman & Avary have modified the tale to make it more of a meditation about how heroes interact with their culture, and how the mythology of heroes doesn't live up to the legend, even (or especially) in the hero's own mind. I felt this film shared many themes with "The Assassination of Jesse James" from earlier this year--re: its ideas about hero worship and celebrity culture.

I think, however, that if the film had distanced itself from the poem more in marketing, people wouldn't be so up in arms about it. If it maybe had a slightly different title, even. I dunno. I just find it unfortunate that people tend not to view the film on its own merits, but on the way it (admittedly) twists the story into a new mold and meaning.

quote:

Originally posted by Tongster:
Crispin Glover rocks.

I didn't realize Glover was Grendel until the end credits. He kicks ass. I do think when Beowulf was pounding on his head, he should've said, "McFly! Is anybody in there?" But that's just me.

EA and I saw it the other day. I can't speak for her, but I had no preconceptions as I hadn't read the original poem, but I wasn't wildly excited by it. The story was fine, and even though I believe that it's been chopped about a lot, it felt that it hung together just fine for me. I really didn't like the CGI - it just felt flat and lifeless, and it almost seemed that they'd used it because they could. I would much preferred that they had used real actors where they could (obviously, there was lots of places that they couldn't and I'm fine with that). I suspect that in a few years the dependence with CGI will mean the film looks really dated.

The one thing that I really objected to was the ending (and I won't say any more as I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen the film). But I will say that I felt that it was totally out of charchter for Beowolf's friend to react in that manner!

I quite enjoyed the film and the revisions to the classic story. I also enjoyed the Icelandic film, BEOWULF AND GRENDEL, for the same reason - it provided an unusual look at the elements surrounding the story that were presumably "left out."

However, I would have really liked to have seen much more of the hidden narrative. The decline of Beowulf and his love for his queen as well as the upbringing of the dragon.

I got a feeling that they edited a lot of the story line out. There were some hollows in the movie. I noted those also. It seemed odd.
You pointed out two good reasons why connection to many of the characters were not that strong.
However, they did a good job in invoking empathy for Grendel. My children connected deeply with Grendel. My youngest son felt huge sorrow for him. All his insides were on the outside. He was too naked. His inner and outer pain was palatable.

I thought the best acting in the movie, hands down, was the haunting agonized furious scream of Grendels mother when he died in her arms. As a mother, I fully connected.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: adrienne,

Beowulf rocked! Did you hear that FREEK Energy Drink and Beowulf have teamed up. There is an online sweepstakes at FREEK.com (a pretty awesome site) where you can enter to win a private screening of Beowulf for you and 100 friends or a years supply of FREEK Energy Drink. Hurry up! The sweepstakes ends tomorrow!

After a hard day of internet promotion, nothing satisfies my nicotine craving like the cool, crisp flavor of Marlboro Beowulf Menthol cigarettes. The patented Anglo-Saxon Menthol Flavor offers a clean, refreshing edge with no aftertaste. And the refined, all-natural Virginia tobacco has no additives, so it's just right, whether you're coming back from battling Grendel or you're off for another night at the OTB. If you want to smoke like an epic hero, smoke Marlboro Beowulfs.

I heard it makes a delicious marinade for Spam. Yummmmmm..

quote:

Originally posted by Furious:
I'm torn between enjoying the 'irony' (e.g.: the Austin Powers-like sword hilt/helmet conveniently in front of the naughty bits) and doing a because the Penis vs Vagina theme doesn't let up (the shape of the Grendel's mother's cave, Beowulf's sword melts after the female monster touches it).

I admit to laughing out loud when Beowulf's sword melted. there was great and mighty chortling, although nobody else I was with seemed to get it. my sister rolled her eyes (and was squicked by the early gore), my bro-in-law suffered in patience, and my husband just waited for the action sequences. *sigh* no one but me (in our little group) ended up liking the movie--I think it's simultaneously too ambiguous and over-the-top for a lot of people.

but I'm the english major, and I thought the story improved on the original--which was disjointed, to say the least, and lacked continuity. I get the feeling that most of the things that seemed off were the product of being completely CG. the "people" weren't quite human.

and I really want the script book. I'd like to see what Avery/Gaiman had in mind when they started this whole thing. I also kinda want to know who is responsible for that ending. I love ambiguous endings and, indeed, ambiguity in general, but, this time, it seemed horrifically out of character. were some of Wiglaf's parts edited out? what? I need answers!

This past weekend, I went and saw Beowulf for the second time with a friend of mine who desperately wanted to see it and whose family wouldn't go with her. It was slightly less funny the second time because I knew what to expect, but still a good time.

The real humor came on the way out of the theater. I met a woman and her thirteen-year-old son, the son complaining loudly that the movie was weird and who on earth were the Geats and so on and so forth. His mother told him she surely didn't know, and turned to me and asked me. I explained a little about the Geats, and noted that the original poem would answer most of the boy's questions, although Avery and Gaiman had taken obvious creative liberties. I also spelled "Hrothgar" and "thanes", as she didn't know what the people on the screen were saying.

So she looked at me for a moment and said in high astonishment, "...there's a Beowulf poem?" I just smiled and said yes, and told her that it was very good and that her son would probably be reading it in high school.

Mild digression - that reminds me of the time my mom told me about watching the movie First Knight, and how it was a bout this king named Arthur, and his best friend - she thought his name was Lancelot?

Apparently, the Round Table doesn't get a whole lot of play in the Philippines.

Today was the opening day in JAPAN, so I saw Beowulf, and it was awesome! I liked it! Robert Zemeckis's "The Polar Express" had very realistic CG. Also, Beowulf's CG surpassed The Polar Express's CG. In some parts, they looked real human. Especially, Robin Wright Penn was beautiful!

As for the story, they changed the story, but I think it was okay. Once, I read epic poem, and I liked it. But Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery did well adaptation.

Someday I'll re-read epic poem....or maybe, I'll read comics version of Neil Gaiman!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Tongster:
Mild digression - that reminds me of the time my mom told me about watching the movie First Knight, and how it was a bout this king named Arthur, and his best friend - she thought his name was Lancelot?

Apparently, the Round Table doesn't get a whole lot of play in the Philippines.

or possibly in Japan. I watched parts of the Japanese sub of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and it would appear that King Arthur, brave Sir Robin, et al., were in search of the sacred sake cup. *shrug*

Is there actually a sacred sake cup in Japanese myth? Or were they just trying to translate as best they could? 'cos a sacred sake cup is actually pretty cool

I don't know of one, and neither do Google and Wiki. (typing in "sacred sake cup" in Wiki turns up nothing, but the link with 100.0% relevance is "List of Scrubs episodes." I don't know why.) I think they were just aiming for the general idea of a holy grail, but they didn't seem to have any idea what significance a holy grail might have, from what I could see. and why would they, I know, but still. I found it hilarious.

and pretty cool.

i don't have time for a long review at the moment...but i have to say that i enjoyed the movie tremendously...he could have never pleased the "purists"...it's a successful adaptation in my opinion.

Hi. I'm new to this stuff here in neilgaiman.com but I have to say that I'm a huge fan of Neil. Anyway, so much for that. Since this is my first post, I'd like to give my own assessment of Beowulf.

I have read the original format of this English classic. I have to say that the movie had a different take on the hero, Beowulf.

The CGI was incredible. At first, I thought that I was looking at a real movie (so much better than Final Fantasy Advent Children or Final Fantasy The Spirits Within).

But I have my doubts as to the look of Grendel. It was very obvious that it look like something out of a graphic animation. And the sound made by Grendel isn't that captivating at all.

I even thought that the characterization for Grendel was a bit limited. He could have been a hardcore monster!

As for Beowulf, this is how I originally envisioned him (not like the one where Christopher Lambert starred in).

As for the movie, it was okay but i still prefer Stardust.

quote:

Originally posted by Apathy:
I watched parts of the Japanese sub of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and it would appear that King Arthur, brave Sir Robin, et al., were in search of the sacred sake cup. *shrug*

Oh, now *there* is a quest I'd like to go on.

Saw Beowulf and my lady friend sums up the movie perfectly, "Never sleep with the devil". Nice animations too.