Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great for the scenery, but cheaply made and misguided... , 30 Sep 2006
Admittedly, the fabulous scenery - and the hunky Gerard Butler - are the best things about Beowulf & Grendel. Shooting on rugged Icelandic locations, cinematographer Jan Kiesser provides some gorgeous wide screen vistas that give the film a visual power that goes a long way toward compensating for its narrative deficiencies and its penchant for silliness.
The film itself has moments that are astonishingly dull and fractured - particularly in the first twenty minutes - with most of the action composed of lots of misty eyed running around on rocks and howling at sunsets. Obviously, this Canadian/British/Icelandic co production from director Sturla Gunnarsson is trying to be reality driven, but the movie in the end, suffers from a definitive lack of scope.
The old English tale was majestic and epic, but this film ultimately lacks the grandeur and wit necessary to make the legend fully come alive. The Danish King Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgård) has built a new "great hall" but the implacable, seemingly invincible giant troll Grendel (Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson) - seeking revenge for the murder of his father - is repeatedly attacking the King's people.
Hero and warrior Beowulf (Gerard Butler) is recruited by his friend the King to rid his kingdom of this murderous troll. It isn't long before Beowulf figures he's being manipulated by a beautiful a witch portrayed by Sarah Polley - a dead-ringer for Cindi Lauper - who is particularly generous with her sexual favors and who also seems to be hiding secrets about Grendel's mysterious ways.
In order to make the film appear realistically hip, the script is spruced up with long stretches of what seems like Old English with unexpected bursts of cussing, profanity and gleeful vulgarity - Grendel is constantly referred to as a "f*cking troll" and Butler says something about him having a "hairy *ss!" But the language - when you can hear it through the accents - ends up feeling as misguided and somewhat gratuitous as just about everything else in the film.
On the positive side, Beowulf & Grendel does a fairly good job of showing us how this old world functioned in the harsh and cold Nordic environment and how the onset of Chistianity was beginning to infiltrate the pagan Norse ways. Indeed Beowolf is quite sceptical of this new religion, whilst the sickly Hrothgar seeks to be baptised and ponders heavily on the truth of heaven.
The performances are at least competent, with Butler looking appropriately earthy and sexy and heroic-like, although Polley is woefully miscast, appearing in her impeccably contemporary makeup, she makes the film's obviously noble ambitions go entertainingly awry.
Grendel was obviously a murderer but he was also the son, father, lover, and playful child who enjoyed sumersaulting and bowling with human skulls. It's just a pity that this film doesn't really do him justice. All the protracted silliness that ensures along with the rather bland direction will ensure that even fans of the source material will be left scratching their heads in bewilderment. Mike Leonard September 06.
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8 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good but could be great, 25 Jan 2007
The legend of Beowulf and Grendel has been explored before in films like "the 13th Warrior". Similar to 13th Warrior, this version tries to keep a certain realism feeling to a folklore legend.
Grendel has a reason to kill in this movie, a story of loss and vengeance. You can almost feel pitty for the monster, quite different from the original tale.
The strong aspect of the movie is the landscape. I was completely amazed by the photography and beauty of the scandinavian lands. They had many troubles shooting during rainy and frozen days, but the end-result is unique.
Grendel is portrayed as a Troll, a half-human, half-monster creature. Grendel himself lacks the presence of the real thing. Although the acting is good, it fails to transmit the horrible creature from the legend. Grendel was huge, not just a strong/tall man.
Also, the costumes used to portray Grendel and his father, have some issues. You can notice arm-cloth wrinkles and that reveals that it's just a costume and not "real skin". Perhaps using a WWW wrestler would be a better idea? (for real-life muscle) Instead they used an actor that lacked the real-life physics to portray the beast (then again, no human could faithfully portray it).
The story lacks rythm. Grendel attacks, Beowulf comes and waits for him in the night, several times. It's a back and forward game before the last encounter and you will notice a slowdown in action towards the middle of the movie, gaining pace again in the end.
Although filmed in scandinavia, the "great hall" of king Hrothgar is a joke. It seems more like a big hut than anything else. Also, where are the other's people houses? This is the only house you will see in Hrothgar village, quite strange (i wonder if they only had permission to build that house in a protected area???). In the legend the hall was huge, so huge that it defied the gods and Grendel's attacks were believed to be a punishment for the Danes vanity.
Gerard Butler fits Beowulf perfectly. He has the looks, the build and the strong presence to portray the hero. Unfortunately the story doesnt do him justice and you will get a sense of "unfinished" in the end of the movie.
One curious detail i noticed were the horses. They actually used scandinavian horses in the movie. Shorter than normal horses, with short legs, viewing vikings on their back is quite hilarious (although perhaps realistic) since the horses run faster than usual (as in faster-motion) almost giving a nonsence Monty Phyton feeling of comedy.
Although with many faults in budget, rythm and story i cannot help but to love this movie. The landscape and environment are unique, Grendel story is captivating (the scene with little Grendel shopping his father's head is quite touching).
If only a more complete version would come out, with more details, more houses, more background.... it would be close to perfect.
For the effort, for the landscape and image, for the soundtrack and Gerard Butler/Stellan Skarsgård performances, im giving it a 4 of 5 stars.
What's funny is... if this was shot in early 1920's, in black & white format with no sound, this would be a classic. Try to look at this movie this way and you will love it more, if you expect a big action movie with a very expensive budget, you will be somewhat disappointed.
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Selma (Sarah Polley) can bewitch you with her forwardness and charm, 20 Jan 2008
The story is now nearly two thousand years old. We are used to the written version that was solidified centuries later. This story in the original tradition places a different slant on the tale while holding close to the original. If told verbatim this would be a twenty minute movie so some of the information was filled in from inference. The ending has been changed to pose a new question and allow for a possible sequel.
The Dane King Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgård) crosses paths with a troll (instead of some Harry Potter or Shreck type creature this is more of a Neanderthal) who had the audacity to steal a fish. That is a killing offence. Unfortunately after the troll is dispatched Hrothgar realizes he left a trollet behind. Through an act of kindness or for some other reason he lets the little Grendel (Hringur Ingvarsson) survive. Now grown up Grendel (Ingvar E. Sigurdsson. Actually two actors) as required by tradition takes revenge on Danes.
With out knowing the facts the Geet hero Beowulf (Gerard Butler,) (twelve years later, even though they are a day's sail away) hears about King Hrothgar plight and takes his men to the rescue. There he meets a distraught King, a mad monk, a witchy woman and an illusive and cunning Grendel.
One thing that gives the film worth is that Grendel may be strong but mortal and Beowulf is not as strong as 30 men; this makes the tale more like something that could have really happened and turned into a myth.
You will enjoy the real scenery and the refreshing absence of all that mind warping CGI.
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