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Bawdy, bloody and bold, Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf captures the essence of the Anglo-Saxon epic poem, at the same time as saying several very modern things about the nature of heroism and leadership. Writers Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary have taken a classic tale, developed its themes, understood its roots and its cadences, and turned it into something that still manages to interest and provoke.

And did I mention that it looks like nothing else you will have seen? Zemeckis has used computer graphics to capture the detail and artistry of his 5th century setting, and to allow his performers to step out of their bodies and into their motion-captured characters (Ray Winstone, no spring chicken, plays a tower of Scandinavian muscle). The technology is truly remarkable, capturing the life-like quality of the actors’ eyes, giving their characters the motion and spark of living creatures, not eerily lurching waxworks.

The quality of the script, and the caliber of the cast (which includes Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson and Angelina Jolie, in show-stopping form) lifts Beowulf clear of the fantasy niche and into the realms of true myth, which is where it belongs.

 

Milo Wakelin on 4th March 2008
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