Starring: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Brendon Gleeson, Angelina Jolie
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Screenplay: Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery
Though not quite perfected, the CGI-rendered adventures of Beowulf (12A, Warner Bros.) is clearly at the cutting edge of the medium and those merely expecting a cartoonish outing ( a la The Incredibles) or attractive but overwrought project (Final Fantasy) may well be pleasantly surprised by this weighty and ALMOST visually-realistic adaptation of the myth.
Beowulf (Ray Winstone) is a boastful warrior, whose exploits precede him and grow with each telling. He heads to the kingdom ruled by old friend King Hrothgar (Sir Anthony Hopkins) to aid him against a malevolent creature, Grendel (Crispin Glover), which has decimated his army and land. But there are many secrets and agendas at work and Bewoulf and his men will learn some hard lessons as they look for a way to kill the creature and save themselves. As much a story about personal demons as the ‘real’ variety, this film may use the latest technology, but it builds on very fundamental dramatic themes.
CGI has yet to capture the sparkle of the soul behind the eyes, but otherwise the graphics here rise beyond most video-game adaptations and within a few minutes of beginning to watch the film, audiences will forget they are not watching the real actors at work. Ray Winstone grabs the titular role by both virtual hands and gives it his all. Sir Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich and Brendon Gleeson also impress. Angelina Jolie has been a hard-sell in the promotions and though in the film for less than ten minutes, makes the most of her screen-time.
There will be those who would prefer a live-action adaptation and certainly there are moments when the illusion of reality gets broken. However even at this stage, such a live-action film would be impossible to create on a realistic budget and though there’s a strong argument for the blending of the two (a la 300), it’s hard not to give Beowulf its due as a genuine trailblazer if not the perfect CGI outing.
A few mis-steps include an almost Austin Powers-like ability to unrealistically put inanimate items in front of Beowulf’s animated manhood ( a golden Jolie, on the other hand gets a full frontal, with only gold paint and a lack of nipples to protect her modesty) and there are a few show-off set-pieces which scream out ‘oooh, look what we can do in 3D now’ - largely forgivable because, well, ooooh look what they CAN do in 3D now!
Gaiman and Avary’s screenplay whips along at a fair pace, quite an accomplishment given the breadth and depth of the source material. The 12A certificate (in the UK) is a careful judgement but even so this is an outing perhaps best aimed at teenagers and above. The blood flows, the innuendo isn’t subtle and though based on legends, this is no fairy-tale outing. Not for the faint of heart, but an interesting step in cinematic evolution, this is an entertaining outing for all concerned and a special treat if viewed in the superior IMAX 3D.
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John Mosby After coming runner-up in the Jackanory Writing Competition, John Mosby eventually became a freelance entertainment journalist and has spent the last fifteen years or more discovering his and others’ delusions of adequacy. He’s written three books including two official tie-ins: X-Men: The Essential Guide and The Making of Barb Wire and has eMCeed conventions in Los Angeles and Sydney. In March 2006, will help host a major Highlander event at the Royal Armouries in Leeds (www.highlanderworldwide.com). He edits Impact magazine - available in most Borders, W H Smith, Barnes & Noble etc. and Verbatim (e-mail him at a.j.mosby@btinternet.com for ordering details)