Beowulf (2007) Review

Computer graphic images have sure come a long way. Does anyone remember that 2001 film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within that pioneered the slew of CGI movies? Before the trio of Shreks, A Bug's Life, and The Bee Movie, movies did not venture much further into animation than the classic Disney tales of Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid.

Beowulf takes CGI films to a whole new level. Sure, there are always parts of the film that you know is fake-- John Malkovich's way-too-perfect hair, the pouring of wine, the poreless face of Angelina Jolie, or the still-not-intricate-enough finger detail of the Queen. Even with these multiple flaws, I still walked out of Beowulf saying "wow". I did not go into the theater expecting anything. With all the hype and trailers, it was difficult denying the feeling that it was going to be a good movie. However, I did not enjoy Final Fantasy so why would I enjoy another CGI film?

Beowulf has received mixed reviews from the public as well as acclaimed critics. You'll have your supergeek techies saying that it was an abomination to the CGI community, and give two strong thumbs down. I disagree. This film may quite possibly be the dawn of a new era-- actors never having to step into a studio, directors no longer paying millions of dollars for top name actors, and the ever-critical movie goers never realizing that the actors are completely made from pixelated images. That, to me, was worth spending $9.50 to see.

Some parts were a bit far-fetched and downright silly. Beowulf fighting Grendel in Hrothgar's hall completely naked while anything and everything is prohibiting you from every catching his weenie was a bit overdone. It got to the point where my bf and I were rolling in our seats to see what goblet or sword would be "blacking out" Beowulf's no-no zone. The violence was excessive as they could have toned down the shredding and chewing and still would have won my respect as a movie-goer. The plot seemed rushed, but I went along with it. In all though, I definitely felt the highlights outweighed the flaws.

The team did a great job rendering the real-life actors Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, and of course the gorgeous Angelina Jolie. The boss I work for actually thought that half the movie had real acting. Hey, if it's that believable, that's gotta say something, right? The scenery and special effects were commendable, and I foresee a bunch of films following this same recipe in the near future.

This is a very exciting time to be living in the entertainment world. I cannot wait to see just how realistic these films can get. A film like Beowulf pushes the limits of what the eye and mind believes. I found Beowulf to be a treat for the senses with it's high octane fight scenes, superb vocal choices, and stunning graphics.