The true star of BEOWULF now available
on DVD from Paramount is the technology used to give it life.
Directed by Robert Zemekis who is indeed an Academy Award winner this
film takes the technology that he used in THE POLAR EXPRESS and
really puts it to the test.
A balls to the walls action film BEOWULF
is truly a technical marvel to behold. What I'm trying to say is it
looks freakin fantastic. It is breathtaking to look at. Story wise
it has its flaws but the pictures are so pretty you really don't
mind. This is one of those live action animation films where
everything is computer generated, from the grass to the mountains to
the folks walking around on both there isn't any of it that is real.
The actors and actresses are all image captures who acted with those
funky suits on with the sensors, it is all well documented in the
films special features which I highly recommend you watch as soon as
you get done staring at all the pretty pictures on the screen.
The film is truly majestic in not only
its scope but also in the way it is scored and photographed. You
have to give it to Zemekis, he don't back away from a challenge and
as I have stated from a technological point of view this film is a
groundbreaking triumph. Still the problem remains that the story
itself while action packed and quite thrilling at times is still just
a medieval tale of dragons and sorcery and good vs. evil. Nothing
new, nothing unique. So, that leaves you with just some amazing
pictures hooked onto a children's tale of kings and queens back in
the day when ogres lived under the bridge. We've seen it a thousand
times before even if this time around it looks nicer then most.
And while the technology used to create
this film is both ground breaking and fantastic the film in parts
still has that herky, jerky quality to it that lets you know
that this is a hybrid. Not really animated not really live action
but a little of both. When you looking at still shots from the film
it is hard to tell sometimes if it is real or animated but you have
no doubt when watching it on the screen. Things just don't look
quite right but having said that, it still looks amazing.
So, bottom line. Should you waste a
couple hours of your life with this one? Absolutely. It is amazing
to behold and the special features are a tour de force of modern film
making practices. It is all very interesting just not particularly
entertaining.
BEOWULF is available now for purchase
or rental just about anyplace that does either.
