Really enjoyed it both times, especially on second viewing.  I avoided IMAX for one reason – I really dont like to pan and scan my own viewing experience.  I like to take in the movie and see it in full anamorphic format, and to me IMAX is an overkill I don’t need.

Sure it’s cool, but I’d rather have already seen the movie first, so I’m not missing anything. 

Anyway, the 3D was really remarkable – I love this new innovation, yet I judge a movie not on bells and whistles.

Fortunately, like MONSTER HOUSE, Beowulf does not NEED to be a 3D experience to be special.

It’s saving grace are it’s intelligent and gripping screenplay, it’s dedicated and passionate (but not melodramatic, mostly) performances — and its’ sound design, which is probably its most under-rated asset.

The sound design lets you believe that everything is taking place as if captured on film – NOTHING feels like it was recorded in an ADR booth.  The ambience, vocal quality, and intensity of performance are so convincing that you truly embrace the world as real.

Though I must say – the biggest flaw, to me, is the digital representation of the humans, which has been an issue for me since Zemeckis developed this system for Polar Express.

Some scenes are rendered better than others, it’s that simple.

When you first see Angelina Jolie, she looks as real as live-action.  When she circles around Beowulf seductively, she looks like Lara Croft (game version).  Other characters (like Hopkins) also go back and forth from higher and lower detail rendering, likely because the movie rushed to make it’s delivery date.

Not that Beowulf appears rushed.  Sure, some scenes feel more like video game cutscenes than others.  Sure, some eyes are dead while others flicker with life.

Sure, you are left wondering to yourself – would this had not been much better if they’d done it with live-action plates, in the style of 300 or Sin City, and only used Digital actors for the more impossible visual sequences?

Doesn’t the replication of live-action actors seem redundant? 

Like George Lucas and his pre-occupation with digital, it makes me feel like some of the creators are more consumed with the question of “CAN WE DO THIS?” than “SHOULD WE DO THIS?”

But, if you consider it to be a filmmaker’s experiment, it’s an interesting one.

And largely it works – because the direction is sound and largely grounded in reality, as are the performances.

The story is complex and emotional, and quite open to interpretation.  No spoon-feeding here.  There is more than one way to interpret the final moment of the movie, and I LOVE that about Beowulf.

I also love the character of Beowulf, the flawed man who thinks himself (and wants us to think of him) as a super-human.  He is the only character full of melodrama, which is his intention.

Great performance here by Malkovich, whose character peeks out from behind CGI eyes to see the man behind the mask, whose personal quirks as an actor are probably the best argument for Zemeckis’ motion-cap system.

All in all, I enjoyed this very, very much.  I prefer LOTR, if only because it seems more real to me, but Beowulf is satisfying on every level. 

It’s biggest and ONLY flaw is that, in my opinion, you never seem to truly forget that you are watching an experiment in motion. 

I also wished I could have had an xbox controller so I could have mashed the X button when it was time to pummel Grendel’s ear.

xo

dan

Beowulf succeeded in slaying the competition at the box office this weekend with roughly 40% of its $28.1 million in domestic receipts coming from digital 3D screens. (Theater owners were able to charge more for 3D screening, boosting box office totals.) Meanwhile 3D IMAX screenings contributed a record $3.58 million to the total, despite showing on less than 2% of the screens it was released on.

1. Does the texture of Grendel’s skin feel good against Beo’s bare digi-dick?

2. I cannot believe the George McFly laugh is back!

3. Coolest dragon EVER.

4. Cannot get the main theme out of my head.

5. Seriously, HOW the FUCK did they get a PG-13!!??  I would be uncomfortable watching this with my parents now – i couldn’t imagine if i was little and my parents unknowingly took me to this!

Zemekis!!!!!!