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Beowulf - Limited Edition 2 Disc Steelbook Director's Cut (Exclusive to Amazon.co.uk)

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Director: Robert Zemeckis
Actors: Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Robin Wright Penn, John Malkovich
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD

List Price: ~~Ł23.99~~
Buy New: Ł9.97
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New (2) from Ł9.97

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

24 reviews
Sales Rank: 1559

Format: Colour, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Pal, Subtitled
Languages: English (Original Language), Catalan (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 109
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6

EAN: 7321909214415
ASIN: B0013LI7V4

Release Date: March 17, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: mint condition. brand new

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 24

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I rather enjoyed it - but I did think it was a bit gory for a 12 rating April 20, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Being a Noggin the Nog fan at 6, I naturally warmed to the Beowulf saga as a teen. Plus I enjoyed John Gardner's 'Grendel' novel as a student, where the Beowulf story is retold from Grendel's perspective: "His mother is totally incommunicative. In fact, his only real friends are the Danes he kills. Still, he knows he is dependent on Hrothgar's survival. If I murdered the last of the Scyldings, he muses, what would I live for?".

When I found out the writer of the book 'Stardust' was helping to produce two movies, 'Stardust' and 'Beowulf', I knew I had to see them at the cinema. I took my son (11) to see both ('Stardust' was great). However, although my son enjoyed the film (well the two main action bits anyway), I did feel Beowulf was rather violent for just a 12 rating - this is one of the few films where I was actually shocked at one point. Beowulf fights Grendel without any clothes to prevent his armour hindering him, and there are articles placed about the mead hall that conveniently hide any obviously male bits from the viewer - and this overt coyness irritatingly distracts you from the horror that's unfolding - i.e. Grendel's attack (after that Beowulf faces Grendel's mother in a loin cloth). When Grendel breaks in to the banqueting hall, looking frankly a bit too decayingly revolting, he proceeds to bite off the heads of the hapless Dane warriors and spray them up the wall (but that apparently isn't as disturbing as a PC generated male figure in the buff - although even the Crazy Frog was anatomically correct on kids TV, and Bart Simpson for that matter). Granted my son didn't seem perturbed by the graphic violence, but a 12 rating can bring in kids of any age with their dads. It doesn't look quite so shocking on the small screen via DVD, but be warned if your young preteen sons want to watch this movie (I found this aspect slightly worse than similarly 12 rated King Kong, also a great movie otherwise). However for a 9+ audience all should be fine, and on the big screen this film is probably less disturbing for little ones than PG rated Jurassic Park.

Otherwise I loved the movie (other than wishing Grendel had inherited his mothers, fathers and step-brothers good looks). The change to the story and Grendel's family tree/mothers fate was fine (it made Beowulf more vulnerable and so an even greater hero in overcoming his shame to defeat the avenging fire dragon). The mix of accents didn't worry me (who wants a Danish `allo allo', and Beowulf and Hrothgar are from very different settlements anyway, being born in Sweden and Denmark respectively). The PC animation was pretty good if a little stilted occasionally, and I could certainly see the attraction of Grendel's mother (killing her looked a heck of a lot harder). Plus Anthony Hopkins [Hrothgar], Brendan Gleeson [Wiglaf], Angelina Jolie [Grendel's mum] and John Malkavich [Unferth] provide superb support for Ray Winstone's Beowulf. Perhaps I would have preferred a live action `Conan the Barbarian' style version, as much of the fighting and monsters would have been the same CGI anyway, but I was impressed with Beowulf the great Nordic warrior, he cut a believable tough heroic figure and the film evoked well the tragedy of his plight as he goes from hero to zero, and back again. Besides, any Beowulf is better than nothing and this was a good stab at the story. The original poem is a long slog anyway, but worth scanning through - you can find it on the web for free. Also try Gardner's Grendel, and Seamus Heaneys poetical interpretation `Beowulf' (it's more than a translation and has the original alongside to compare). The original Beowulf isn't impossible to read, and rather like Mallory's Morte d'Arthur it puts you closer to those of the era if you read it as written down.

I didn't actually notice much had changed in the director's cut other than the fight scenes are noticeably more gory than the movie release, but this doesn't actually detract from the film at all and does add a bit more gritty realism - after all Grendel and his mum are the stuff of nightmares. However those watching with their sons might opt for the standard release. As usual I haven't watched the extras yet, other than the `making off' which was interesting, showing how the live actors helped the CGI movements - and it made you wish the actors were in the film when you see every nuance of their real facial expressions. But otherwise a pretty good movie.

4 out of 5 stars

The Imperfections Of Ray Winstone April 18, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Beowulf was at one time a film i really didn't want to watch. The TV adverts were to blame for my not initially wanting to watch this film. Time after time i heard the same clip, over and over! By chance i overheard that Beowulf was an animated film, using the same technology as was used in The Polar Express. Suddenly i became interested. I guessed it was going to be something different. And it was and it is.

Beowulf stars the voices, and likenesses of Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, and Angelina Jolie. The film's director is Robert Zemeckis, who also directed CastAway, The Back To The Future Trilogy, Forest Gump, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?.
What we have is an extrodinary film, and a violent film, with stunning camera work, superb action and fight scenes, and a sometimes confusing story based on an age-old poem of the Nordic warrior Beowulf. The performance capture technology used to recreate the stars who voice the characters, and place their likenesses in the movie certainly works well enough, although they still have that puppet/wooden movement about them. Still, this is a technical acheivement in movie making, and one that deserves to be seen, if only for the experience. Ray Winstone was rightly slimmed down and given a perfect, and somewhat stereotypical hero's appearence. Angelina Jolie has, dare i say it, improved and looks stunning as the mother of the monsters, and of the grotesque and deformed Grendel.
Somehow, though, i can't help thinking that if this was not performance capture technology, we really wouldn't be interested for very long. It's technical wonder, quite amazing to watch, and possibly a sign of things to come regarding Hollywood. Still, there is something rather satisfying in watching these virtual stars, but non more satisfying than watching the imperfections of Ray Winstone, and others, that make us what we are.

2 out of 5 stars

Did not live up to potential. April 13, 2008
The story in itself is based on legend, in a time where money making spin did not exist. However, this remake of an old tale has merits and major let downs. Firstly, the CGI animation is fantastic (but the beast Grendel was an obscene sight to behold). There is some meat to the story (but it could have been better) and the voice character of Angelina Jolie playing the succubus (a beautiful she-devil who seduces men) is surprisingly good and appropriate.

However, what really let the film down was the voice character of Beowulf (played by Ray Winstone). His inherently trailer trash, cockney accent completely ruined not just the character but the entire film for me. In fact, his voice was so awful, it was like a chakra knife to my nerves. Furthermore, whilst Anthony Hopkins managed to absorb the jist of his character Hrothgar, his Welsh accent was not befitting for a Danish warrior. In fact, it was ridiculous and laughable. The makers clearly invested too much resource into the CGI aspect, but not enough effort in acquiring suitable voice characters or even ensuring a gripping story line.

Overall, it was ok, but also disappointing in crucial aspects.

1 out of 5 stars

Boring April 13, 2008
0 out of 7 found this review helpful

This film tries to rip off so many others it's unreal - DNO NOT BUY

1 out of 5 stars

Too late for truth? April 7, 2008
3 out of 6 found this review helpful

One of the most enduring legends of all time and Roger Avary and Neil Gaiman feel that they need to engage in a bizarre re-write. This new sex orientated version has some very weird plot diversions, most notably a more than obvious Oedipal overtone that has no reference to the original. One can only assume that this was instigated in order to make it interesting enough for the modern culturally barren mainstream audience of 2007 or perhaps some darker personal issues on the `writers' own part?
Self-inflicted shame on all those who participated in this desecration. Valhalla might just empty it's halls on the day those responsible pass, in order to enable Beowulf and his warriors to show their appreciation face to face for the amazing CGI and ham fisted re-write that has now so odiously been attached to his memory.