Beowulf

For my birthday a couple of weeks ago, Emily and I went to see Beowulf in 3D. This film by Robert Zemeckis uses the filmmaker’s “performance-capture” technique used previously in Polar Express and, to different effect, in Monster House.

The danger with such technology in a movie is that the special effects can take center stage rather than being a means to further the storytelling – the real star of the show. This is what I feared as I saw the apathetic expressions of the theater-goers walking out of the showing before mine. I even heard a fragment of a comment that sounded something like “a waste of ten dollars”.

Not an encouraging sign. Emily and I even considered returning our tickets for another movie, but there was nothing else playing (Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium? No, thank you.).

I am glad we stuck with Beowulf. It may not be without its flaws, but overall it was great entertainment, no question.

The film avoids fully sacrificing itself on the altar of neat-o-special effects, but the visuals remain the most remarkable part of the experience. Complaints of characters having “dead eyes” and a wax-figure-look to them are not completely without merit, but these computer rendered characters remain the most realistic I’ve ever seen on screen. Oddly, though, some characters, like Robin Wright Penn’s, look worse than others. The surrounding environments are equally if not more impressive.

There were a few shots thrown in only for their 3D “wow” factor – the spear pointed right in your face, or a coin that rolls across a table toward the audience. Shots like the spear shot are sort of obligatory 3D movie shots, but, perhaps contrary to their intended purpose, they snap you out of the immersive experience that the movie’s realistic visuals otherwise create. One day, I would like to see a 3D movie that was shot like a regular 2D movie.

In addition to the super-cool visuals, the film has a lot of excellent (and graphic) action. The kind of movie I’m sure my Dad would appreciate.

Now, I think I was supposed to read Beowulf in high school, but whether I did or not is moot because I probably wouldn’t remember much of it anyway. My understanding from what I’ve heard is that the movie is not supposed to be an exact adaptation from the epic poem, but an account of what “actually” happened – as opposed to the legend created by a story evolved by oral tradition.

I don’t know that this can justify Angelina Jolie’s character having high-heel feet (yes, feet), but overall I think it is a fair and creative way to make some changes to the story.

Speaking of Angelina, this is a racy movie. Don’t let the pseudo-animation fool you. Depending on your views of on-screen depictions of nudity and sexuality (and violence, for that matter), you may do a double-take at the film’s PG-13 rating. Apparently, the animated look of performance-capture and the surprising absence of certain anatomical features allowed the filmmakers to avoid an R rating.

But Angelina is not the only one to skirt the line of decency. The film’s eponymous hero, voiced by Ray Winstone, battles Grendel in the buff. With cleverly placed swords, furniture, and thighs, the audience maintains some innocence. But the scene recalls a gag from Austin Powers.

Like the nude fight scene, Beowulf has more than its share of moments where you’re not sure if you are laughing with or at the movie. Like any one of a number of times where Beowulf yells, “I. Am. Beooowuuulllff!!!” You just have to hear it. I liked it so much that I’ve taken to yelling “I. Am. Brrroooock!!!” whenever the mood strikes me.

But whether you’re laughing with or at these moments, I think they maintain their entertainment value.

I couldn’t believe that the audience in the theater seemed just as unimpressed as the audience I saw leaving earlier. As I walked out, I was almost embarrassed by how much I liked it; worried if someone looked at me, they would know I liked it by the expression on my face. I think Emily felt the same way because we waited until we were in the parking lot to ask each other how we liked it. We admitted to each other in the same guilty pleasure kind of way that we both really liked it.

I think the bottom line is that it is just a lot of fun. I haven’t seen the film in 2D or IMAX 3D (just regular 3D), but I recommend seeing Beowulf in 3D while it is still in theaters. It would be worth a rent once it hits DVD, but I can’t imagine it compares to the full 3D experience.