Web Exclusive: New CGI animated movie is all looks

“Beowulf” looks great, but is good at best

By Justin Thurmond, staff writer
Posted on November 19, 2007

The new computer animated movie “Beowulf” is based on the Old English heroic epic poem about a man who arrives to save a town from a local monster. It has been made into movies and cartoons before, but this version brings something new to the table.

 This epic tale starts with a hideous man like monster named Grendel who haunts and terrorizes a small Danish village.  After several brutal attacks, the king summons a great warrior to come and slay the monster.  The hero of the Geats, Beowulf, comes from a great distance with his men to confront Grendel.  After a battle within the local mead hall Beowulf succeeds and brings down the monster.  Everyone thinks all is well, but Beowulf soon finds out that he made another enemy in the process, Grendel’s mother, and that the war is not over yet. 

This movie is the best looking CGI animated movie that has come out. After a while you forget that you’re not watching a real live action movie. However, the animated people need further development; they can’t seem to get the facial features and movements right, and they look too stiff.

The casting is also very good.  Ray Winstone (“The Departed”) plays the legendary Beowulf.  Joining him is Anthony Hopkins (“Hannibal”) as Hrothgar, the Danish King, John Malkovich (“Being John Malkovich”) as Unferth, the king’s right hand man, Crispin Glover (“Back to the Future”) as the monster Grendel, and Angelina Jolie (“Tomb Raider”) as Grendel’s mother and the true villain in the story.

This movie looks and sounds great but it has a few flaws that keep it from being a major player in the box office.  The story is so-so and the ending is a little rushed and hard to swallow because the good guy doesn’t win this time around.

After the success of his first CGI animated movie “Polar Express”, veteran director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”, “Back to the Future”) tries it again with “Beowulf”.  With such a great resume and ability to acquire big name actors it doesn’t make sense that he didn’t make a real life “Beowulf” movie.  Sure it looks great, but Beowulf would’ve been awesome if he was a real actor.  It is a step up for the CGI animated movement, but a step down in the epic style of story telling.  

2 out of 4 stars