Review of BEOWULF

December 6, 2007

I watched this spectacular movie completely in mind-blowing 3D and IMAX! I think this is the only way to watch this movie, and I do not regret the money I paid for it. This is the most expensive movie in commercial run in town these days--P400, a little less than US$10.

This is only the third movie I have seen in IMAX. First was those few minutes of "Superman Returns". Then the much longer and better 3D sequences of "Harry Potter 5". This is the first one I have seen in IMAX that is completely in 3D.

This is one of those movies where the technology is the star, not the story, the script nor the actors. The movie is completely computer generated. The artwork was excellent in the architecture, the landscape and the male characters, especially Beowulf himself. The 3D effect multiplies the grandiosity and excitement of everything in the film several-fold. The action sequences were really top notch in 3D, most especially the climactic battle of Beowulf and the Dragon. I certainly cannot imagine how this movie would look and feel in 2D.

Ray Winstone's Beowulf looks every inch a hero, but the story makes him flawed, thus more realistic. I did not know who Winstone was before this movie. He has a grand time looking heroic, with his stances, poses and braggadocio. He was totally naked during his battle with Grendel, and the way his manhood was hidden by various other props can be quite amusing, which distracts from the great action somewhat.

I was a bit off-put by the strange over-the-top rendering of Grendel's monstrosity. I did not expect such extremely grotesque interpretation, with a mishmash of deformed human features. The script did imbue Grendel with much drama and tragedy, much enhanced courtesy of Crispin Glover's acting.

Angelina Jolie was depicted in gorgeous elaborate artwork as Grendel's mother. All the scenes involving Jolie were really very well done. She does well in looking both beautiful and sinister at the same time. Her costume is very remarkable as well. Unfortunately, aside from her, the other female characters were not very well rendered, particularly Robin Wright Penn's Queen.

Overall I would really recommend watching Beowulf. But please watch it in 3D. I cannot avoid comparing this movie with a similarly-themed movie shown earlier this year, 300. I liked 300 much better because of the live actors involved. I read that 300 was also available in 3D IMAX format, but I am not sure if they showed this locally. I don't think so. I gave 300 a 5-star rating despite seeing it only in 2D. Beowulf could have been an average movie, but it gets an extra star because I saw it in 3D.