DVD - Beowulf (12)
11:04am Thursday 3rd April 2008
AN Anglo-Saxon classic, and never off the reading lists for any self-respecting university English student, Beowulf is the latest film to use motion capture animation, which somehow manages to turn previously animated actors into the cinematic equivalent of Bernie in Weekend at Bernie's but with less sparkle.
Since the film is mainly straightforward acting, with the odd bit of fantasy thrown in, and since the biggest change in the character's appearance is to develop grey hair, I really don't know why the animation was used, except that the makers obviously wanted to cast Sean Bean but had to make do with Ray Winstone looking like Sean Bean.
The script is wooden and the motion capture drunken antics and bawdy behaviour seem too precise and delicate.
Anthony Hopkins plays his Danish king with an inexplicable Welsh accent, and the fact that the release was originally intended for 3D screenings means you have to continually contend with the camera zooming in or out of scenes, or spears being thrown towards you, just to show off the technology.
It's a worthy attempt to bring the story to a wider audience and the voice talents on display are credible, from Robin Wright Penn to John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie, but the whole project still feels ill-conceived.
AT