Beowulf
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie
Rated: PG-13
Watching Beowulf in IMAX 3D is enthralling. The movie is clearly made for this kind of presentation, and you'll flinch more than once as arrows and axes fly at you. However, without the extravaganza of a massive screen and 3D glasses, the movie would likely lose some of its entertainment value.
Beowulf is essentially director Zemeckis's technology show, as he attempts to redefine what we consider "modern cinema." You may initially discount the film for being animated, but the film's computer generated characters (rendered to look like real actors) establish a consistent visual style. How many times have you witnessed sub-par CG effects that look totally out of place in live action movies? By eliminating live action altogether, the film erases the worry of properly integrating effects and creates total visual coherence between the actors and their surroundings.
Aside from the IMAX screen and 3D effects, however, the film manages to provide enjoyable, if less than spectacular, medieval battle fare in the same vein as 300. The film retains the same story structure as its literary counterpart, but changes major plot elements to more heavily emphasize its theme. The battle sequences are intense, but in between them the movie tends to plod. And if Beowulf really interests you, take Steiner's English class this spring - who doesn't enjoy translating epic poetry from Old English?
