Early Movie Review: 3-D Spectacle "Beowulf" is Fun "300" as Played by WWE Characters

“What they did was really a completely different story”

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.

This film was an extremely well down piece of heritical bs.

I was more upset than I thought I would be, b/c the film had an agenda. I knew that they changed the story, but I didn’t think it was going to be in pursuit of an agenda - and an agenda which the real “Beowulf” promotes the opposite of.

Sigh.

A real lost opportunity here. They could have done something to enrich our culture here, but instead, they decide to defecate on the western tradition, yet again. Oh, well, at least they didn’t work in a favorable mention of Islam (though had it been set later, they probably would have done that, also).

Yes, did you notice that this Beowulf directly attacks Christianity by saying something about Christians have done away with heroes? Totally unnecessary for the story and it is the opposite from the truth historically. Considering that Christian monks who first recorded the story meant it as a Christian metaphor.

This film makes the demon the most appealing and powerful character in the story — could be a Freudian slip by the movie makers influenced by the dark side more than they know?

Instead of a story that is supposed to make us joyful that evil is defeated, we are made to feel sorry for the monster and admire the golden “son” that Beowulf never knew at the end.

Gad. And the king and his aide are made to look like over sexed, guttonous fools, when the origional is a king and court who are noble victims. You almost think that these Viking deserve to be killed.

AND, come to think of it, why were the computer graphics cartoonish and waxy? 300 wasn’t like that at all.

Seems like they would have made a better film and whole lot more money if they had tired to follow George Lucas formula of simply re-telling a hero myth.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.