Recent Reviews
DVD Review: BEOWULF
By Dave Dreher

Mar 22, 2008, 19:32

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.