Ive just come back from seeing this at the IMAX in 3D and Ive got to say unless youre able to see it at an IMAX screen with the 3D glasses I really wouldnt bother, it goes from bad to decidedly average in the best parts unfortunately. It takes great liberties with the source material (read pisses on them from a great height) but is watchable as a brainless action flick (although brainless action is really not the point of the original Anglo-Saxon text). I imagine itll be quite a big hit at the cinema but it just didnt float my boat. The CGI was fantastic, although it failed to convey the sense of emotion that real actors would; in some scenes you are left wandering as to what the characters are supposed to be feeling by their rather bizarre computer generated facial expressions. The score has a few great tracks but is nothing exceptional. To be completely honest if you are genuinely interested in the Anglo-Saxon "real" Beowulf then check out Beowulf and Grendel with Gerard Butler. If you want a brainless action fest based loosely on the events in the source material then check out 13th Warrior with Antonio Banderas. Either is miles better than this rendition of the story.
watched it in iMax 3d and was impressed with the technology. Film was reasonable but not amazing.
The dragon fight scene was frikken awesome. Not sure it would translate quite as well to normal cinema or dvd tho.
Not bad but can see why someone as into the period as you wouldnt like the film.
Its not really a case of being "into the period" I dont think, I just generally think its a bit of a stinker. It has some pretty good battle scenes but almost everything that comes in between ranges from cringe-worthy to decidedly average.
"Ohhhhhh, uhhhhh, ohhhhh, oooohhhhh, cleaning this table gets me all horny" being one point in question. Another that springs to mind is using anything and everything to cover up Beowulfs modesty which could have been either serious or funny but turned out to be neither. To be completely honest they can take as many liberties with the story as they like, Im always open to a new interpretation of the literature, but there are some things with are an aside from this and are just plain crap no matter what does and doesnt interest you.
Watching it in 3D was indeed worth it, it was the first film Ive ever seen in IMAX 3D and I really enjoyed it for that, however if Id have seen this at a regular cinema I definitely would have felt cheated out of my money.
Quote from: Chris HWatching it in 3D was indeed worth it, it was the first film Ive ever seen in IMAX 3D and I really enjoyed it for that, however if Id have seen this at a regular cinema I definitely would have felt cheated out of my money.
100% agree
The 3d effects were amazing tho. I only went to see the technology on a real film tbh and was blown away with it - especially things like the snow. Once they start chilling out with the WOW effects where things come too far out the screen itll be amazing. Some of the scenes in buildings were really deep/impressive.
I was shattered after we left though. Its not a relaxing way of watching a film!
I saw at IMAX at the National Media Museum last weekend.
Pretty much echoing the other comments, the 3D Tech is pretty awesome, even if it goes a bit awry in places.
What I couldnt get my head around was the clash between the storys fairly dark tone, and the Simpsons-Movie Style Sight Gags like Beowulfs naked fighting and almost being violated by a flag pole later on.
Still, took the GFs 16-year old bro whos more into that sort of movie than I am, and I imagine if I was 16 I wouldve thought it was awesome.
Might have to check out the original literature + those other films now as I am quite interested in the subject regardless of my issues with that film.
QuoteMight have to check out the original literature + those other films now as I am quite interested in the subject regardless of my issues with that film.
If youre checking out the original literature pick a translation that isnt done by Heaney... having worked on the text in its original Anglo-Saxon it doesnt do the story justice.
slightly off topic but was just digging round some video processing patents and stumbled across the method for making the films 3d:
http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=WO2007148219&F=0