Beowulf (2007)

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers (WGA):

Neil Gaiman (screenplay) &
Roger Avary (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

16 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Pride is the curse.

Plot:

The warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.

Plot Keywords:

Wife | Animation | Meadhall | Sex | Burning Building

Awards:

10 nominations

Cast

Robin Wright Penn	...	Wealthow (as Robin Wright-Penn)
Anthony Hopkins	...	Hrothgar
Paul Baker	...	Musician #1
John Bilezikjian	...	Musician #2
Rod D. Harbour	...	Musician #3
Brice Martin	...	Musician #4 (as Brice H. Martin)
Sonje Fortag	...	Gitte
Sharisse Baker-Bernard	...	Hild
Charlotte Salt	...	Estrith
Julene Renee	...	Cille
Greg Ellis	...	Garmund
Rik Young	...	Eofor
Sebastian Roché	...	Wulfgar (as Sebastian Roche)
Leslie Zemeckis	...	Yrsa
John Malkovich	...	Unferth

Also Known As:

Beowulf: An IMAX 3D Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
Beowulf: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sexual material and nudity.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Old English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version) | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:12A | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Sweden:15 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | New Zealand:R16 (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #43938) | Taiwan:R-12 | South Korea:15 | UK:12A | Malaysia:U | Australia:M | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-15 (director's cut) | France:Unrated (with warning) | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M (re-rating) | Finland:K-13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California, USA

Company:

ImageMovers

Trivia:

According to visual effects supervisor Jerome Chen, close to 300 cameras were used, compared with 64 to 72 for The Polar Express (2004).

Quotes:

[first lines]
King Hrothgar: I want mead! Give me some mead, my queen!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'MirrorMask' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gently As She Goes

Glorious 3D treat requiring little brain engagement

This movie is a lot of fun. In 3D. I suspect its impact will be considerably diminished in 2D, so I urge anyone who wants to see it to seek out the 3D version. There are lots of beautifully constructed tracking shots where the camera glides and swirls forward, back up and down, and trees, rocks, arrows, dragons or whatever slip past the edges of the frame, and this effect is stunning in 3D. In fact, all the action scenes are stunning in 3D, particularly the climactic battle with a top-notch, fire belching monster of a dragon.

The plot isn't much to write home about (although there's just a hint of a theological debate about the way Christianity has displaced the old mythic religions, which made me think for about 5 seconds). The acting is variable - Robin Wright-Penn is fine, but about as sexy as a paper cup, Hopkins is his usual reliable self, Ray Winstone is suitably heroic as the heroic, self-aggrandising Beowulf, and Crispin Glover is just brilliant as Grendel. Grendel is a lovely creation, oozing slime and blood, and wracked with pain.

But who cares about all that. This is not a scholarly work, it's entertainment. And my wife and I were as royally entertained as the kids surrounding us in the cinema (and we're both 40-somethings). Leave your serious head (and any timid youngsters) at home, and go and have fun.