Olde English meets new technology in 'Beowulf' (Fake muscles on actors)

The New York Daily News ^ | November 11, 2007 | Joe Strike

[garjog]

Spoiler follows in negative review.

OK, I just made the mistake of seeing it today. We went because of a favorable review in the WSJ. I can’t believe that they made this heroic tale into humanistic brainwashing propaganda.

The appeal of mythic hero stories is that there is someone out there who is worth emulating and that evil can be defeated.

But, in in this version the hero poo poos his reputation. Unlike the authentic character, this “Beowulf” lies about his deeds and doesn’t actually defeat the chief demon.

The film sends the message that to believe in a savior who is capable of defeating evil is foolish.

Instead we are supposed to believe that sixth century Viking warriors don’t call on the gods because “the gods only do for us what we do for ourselves.”

This film is blasphemy for Beowulf devotees. The producers should be sued for using his name in the title.

Perhaps most outrageous is that the final scene is dominated by Grendal’s mother still hovering around the body of Beowulf (who doesn’t seem to go to valhalla)and is present to tempt the new king. This is so wrong.

With Oden and “the new Roman god Christ” dismissed from the story’s universe, we are left in the end with a powerful demon trying to wreck more corruption — so much for eliminating the point of epic myth that usually seeks to bring closure to the problem of evil.

Are they thinking of a sequel?

There are a few good points, such as some of the effects are nice. Grendal does look exactly as you might imagine him. But, you should be aware the the computer graphic imagery is often cartoonish and not fluent like 300.

I went in with such hopes. This Demythologed Beowulf is plain stupid.

“It is no shame to be curse by demons.” It is a shame to waste time seeing this cursed film.

[Cacique]

btt