Topic: Beowulf

[GoldenPhoenix]

Not sure how many have seen this, but I just got back from it and the visuals are jaw dropping especially if you see the 3-D version. I've never quite experienced anything like it visually, and the 3D effects work almost flawlessly (though you do get a slight headache). Regardless this is a pretty fun action movie, that is a visual treat. One of the most exciting sequences was the final battle, which was breathtaking in parts.

While this particular medium has a ways to go yet when it comes to replicating people naturally, this easily beats out Polar Express. Some of the movements were quite natural for the most part and at times some of the characters did give off the illusion of real people. Yeah there was some stiffness in battles here and there, but overall it was a beautiful movie visually.

[ShyGuy]

I liked how stiff the characters were in the action scenes.

[DAaaMan64]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
I liked how stiff the characters were in the action scenes.

yes.

I don't think I was supposed to laugh as much as I did during that movie.

Loved the story though.  The creativity on how to hide the male genitals was very funny too

[GoldenPhoenix]

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Originally posted by: DAaaMan64

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
I liked how stiff the characters were in the action scenes.

yes.

I don't think I was supposed to laugh as much as I did during that movie.

Loved the story though.  The creativity on how to hide the male genitals was very funny too

Funny, no one laughed at all when I was there. The action scenes were amazing for the most part. In fact I found the movie quite creepy and disturbing in places, funny is not a term that comes to mind when people are getting ripped apart and their heads bitten off. But I guess to each their own, I bet you two do that stuff ALL THE TIME.

[DAaaMan64]

I saw the movie in a normal theater.  I would have like the opportunity to see it in imax 3d.  But I definitely wasn't the only one laughing. It's okay tho.  Overall I liked the movie.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Quote
Originally posted by: DAaaMan64
I saw the movie in a normal theater.  I would have like the opportunity to see it in imax 3d.  But I definitely wasn't the only one laughing. It's okay tho.  Overall I liked the movie.

The only thing that stuck out to me from time to time was the "floatyness" during some of the action scenes like they were on the moon or something, beyond that I hardly noticed the animation itself as stiff (Not to say I didn't notice it, but it wasn't a big deal).

[DAaaMan64]

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Originally posted by: GoldenPhoenix

Quote
Originally posted by: DAaaMan64
I saw the movie in a normal theater.  I would have like the opportunity to see it in imax 3d.  But I definitely wasn't the only one laughing. It's okay tho.  Overall I liked the movie.

The only thing that stuck out to me from time to time was the "floatyness" during some of the action scenes like they were on the moon or something, beyond that I hardly noticed the animation itself as stiff (Not to say I didn't notice it, but it wasn't a big deal).

The queen looked pretty high during a lot of that movie.

[Stogi]

This movie sucked.

The best part of the whole damn thing was when he straight up BITCHED this dude out like "STRIKE ME! PICK UP THAT AX AND STRIKE ME HERE!" That part was bad ass. Otherwise, it was just a graphixwhorefest.

The story was terrible but the action was pretty dope (although few and far between).

[bustin98]

I thought the story was the strong point of the film. For the most part it reminded me of Shrek. Two main characters rendered very well, the rest of the cast left looking like mannequins. The uncanny valley is very deep here. Though Beowulf's 'bed maid' had a better than average look about her.

One annoying aspect I found about it has to do with the '3d' anticipation. I bet there were some cool moments in a 3d theater, but in normal vision some items were rediculous. Like the spear being shoved in Beowulf's face after landing. There should have been two edits.

It makes me want to read up on the story of Beowulf though. Next up, The Ring of Nibelungen.

[ShyGuy]

I just watched The Dark Crystal. I think the special effects were better in that movie.

[Kairon]

All this talk about bed maids, uncanny valley, and "high" queens is making me want to watch this movie.

Oh, and the Dark Crystal Comparison. That too.

[Sister Mary LeFever]

Shame they did such a mediocre job with the epic of Beowulf. What next, The Divine Comedy, The Aeneid? Is nothing sacred?

[Crimm]

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Originally posted by: Sister Mary LeFever
Shame they did such a mediocre job with the epic of Beowulf. What next, The Divine Comedy, The Aeneid? Is nothing sacred?

The Book of Paul: Staring Zach Braff as Paul

[Kairon]

At lkeast they have the dragon in this telling of Beowulf. Why does everybody cut out the dragon? ARGH!

[mantidor]

Quote
Originally posted by: Sister Mary LeFever
Shame they did such a mediocre job with the epic of Beowulf. What next, The Divine Comedy, The Aeneid? Is nothing sacred?

I've read that there's a paradise lost movie in the works. Fortunately its future doesn't seem too bright.

But these literature works have the material to make an awesome movie, they really have to understand what can be translated into film and what can't, the same for videogame movies, trying to follow it literally only produces terrible results, they need to understand the medium they are working on.

[nickmitch]

Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
At lkeast they have the dragon in this telling of Beowulf. Why does everybody cut out the dragon? ARGH!

I think it's cause most people who like to tell the Beowulf story like to focus on Grendel. That's the part that makes him a hero, not the dragon. The dragon fight brings out his character flaw.

[bustin98]

It took more courage for Beowulf to take out the dragon than Grendel.


Anyone with careful observation and a quick body could see Grenel's weaknesses.
But with the dragon:

1) He had to face his sins of the past
2) He had to destroy his son and sacrifice himself to save everyone

Taking out Grendel was the beginning of his decline. That's why its interesting, to see a hero fall due to lust and ego though no one around him realizes. He becomes tortured as praises are sung while his mind cannot let go of his deception.

At the end he finally becomes the hero.

[Kairon]

Yeah. THAT'S EXACTLY IT Bustin. Actually... that's more than I ever knew about it. Did you take like a really good College English class on it or something? You just blew my mind...

[ShyGuy]

There's a book of Paul??

[Stogi]

Quote
Originally posted by: bustin98
It took more courage for Beowulf to take out the dragon than Grendel.


Anyone with careful observation and a quick body could see Grenel's weaknesses.
But with the dragon:

1) He had to face his sins of the past
2) He had to destroy his son and sacrifice himself to save everyone

Taking out Grendel was the beginning of his decline. That's why its interesting, to see a hero fall due to lust and ego though no one around him realizes. He becomes tortured as praises are sung while his mind cannot let go of his deception.

At the end he finally becomes the hero.

While you did a good job of summarizing the movie; it's not like that wasn't painfully obvious. That's actually one of things I don't like about the movie. It's too obvious; there are no underlying messages, no symbolism; just one guy and his vanity; and not in the cool "Devil's Advocate" sort of way either.

[Kairon]

T_T Everyone's smarter than me T_T

[bustin98]

Quote
Originally posted by: KashogiStogiWhile you did a good job of summarizing the movie; it's not like that wasn't painfully obvious. That's actually one of things I don't like about the movie. It's too obvious; there are no underlying messages, no symbolism; just one guy and his vanity; and not in the cool "Devil's Advocate" sort of way either.

First off, everyone needs to know this is a re-imagining of the story of Beowulf. The three main subjects of villainy are present, but the relationships have changed.

While the points I brought up are obvious (no college for me), and the plot has been done death , there is a degree of symbolism to the story. The dragon horn, the bed maid, Beowulf's right hand man. What's the reasoning behind Grendel looking like a giant malformed child with a troubled ear, while Beowulf's offspring is a magnificent beast? The movie is poor when compared to the original story (what movie isn't??), but for the amount of time they had to work with the writers put some interesting items of discussion in it.

That said I doubt very much I'll be purchasing the dvd. The story is too simplified and the visuals my mind comes up with is more entertaining than the dreck the animators came up with. That is in no way how I imagined Grendel would look or behave.

Edit: This article discusses alot of how I feel about the film, and some other points of view. Seems Roger Ebert finds the film hilarious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beowulf_(2007_film)

[Kairon]

Oh wow. Just spoiled myself and that is a pretty drastic re-imagining of the Beowulf story. Hmm... can't wait to see the movie so I can finally get everything it's about!

But first impression of the re-imagined plot (since the movie's based on a comic book re-imaging, right?) is... bah. The poem was better. I can see why they did it, but I'm gonna side on the original for now. You don't need to directly link the beginning and end of the Beowulf epic, I think. You lose a lot of peripheral depth... bah, I need to see this movie.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I thought Grendel was a great and creepy re imagining. It seems silly to state you wouldn't have imagined him like that, when it quite obvious they came up with another take on Grendel as they did the Beowulf story, he wasn't supposed to be like the poem in looks or really in actions (Besides killing people). Personally I think this is going to be one of those movies where people try to look for something deep trash it, but people who are willing to have fun, without being always concerned about something "deep" (ask me so many of these much heralded "deep" films are almost as shallow as Beowulf) and get a decent story will enjoy it. Yeah you'll have your pompous butts like Ebert dislike it (Mr. Video games aren't art), but people that appreciate a good time will enjoy it. Also people who enjoy the original source but refuse to like something that changes the original source, will more than likely dislike it as well. I know for movies, I try to separate the source material from the movie, it makes a much more enjoyable experience when you come into thinking of it as something different (In fact when dealing with things like comics I appreciate something that isn't line by line like the comic).

This is probably going to be blasphemy, but the basic plot of Beowulf is probably deeper in this movie (Note the word basic plot), because in the poem it goes like:

King needs help, Beowulf kills Grendel, Beowulf kills mother, Beowulf kills dragon sacrificing himself. The end, at least this movie gave some depth to character of Beowulf, showing he is a flawed man and even the most mighty can fall into temptation, but the true heroes redeem themselves and don't wallow in their pity like Hrogar did, which IMO is a true hero. If I recall correctly, the Beowulf from the poem was quite one dimensional, he was pretty much your perfect hero. At least this version of Beowulf is complex, and yes, more human than the one from the poem.  

[Stogi]

As I have never read the poem, I came in very objectively. I only saw the trailer (and yet again, trailers manage to spoil the movie).

Is it really wrong for me to expect some underlying themes when the source material is a poem? And as Bustin said, yes there are some symbols in the movie, but good lord; symbols only retain their power when they aren't shoved into your face forcing you to recognize them.

Anyway, I know I'm ranting; I just expected more. And like I said, the best part of the movie is when he yells at his enemy, ordering him to kill him. That right there showed his overwhelming ego and vanity, while hinting at the secret that has been burning his soul; because only he knows that is what will finally kill him.