Posts: 8,310 Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Fri 17 Mar, 2006 8:25 am
Well, I saw it and I sort of liked it because it's not a big budget high CGI rollercoaster ride.
There is limited fighting some of it good like a flash back scene of Beowulf fighting numerous opponents and dispatching each with a quick well timed move including a " good " decapitation.
There is a scene were they are practice sword fighting that goes the clash / clash edge on edge swordsmanship that one wouldn't want to do with one's treasured sword. :eek: Bad enough using an edge parry when it's needed during a fight or accidentally, not so good if you practice this way every day. :evil: :lol:
All the fight scenes are small unit stuff: No armies of thousands which actually makes sense.
The story makes the point that the " monster " Grendel is actually honourable: Only attacking those who have wronged him.
Beowulf realizes that Grendel was the first injured party but semi-reluctantly feels that he has a job to do anyway as Grendel is killing off a lot of the Danish warriors.
Grendel seems to have the strength of many men but not at an impossible level. If I had to guess " Trolls " if reality based would have been genetic freaks or maybe left over Neanderthals ( Spelling ? ): At least this is what I think is suggested by the film.
At one point the King replies to Beowulf's questions about how this feud started: Why kill a Troll ??? Because he's a Troll ! Why not ??? I can see this in the historical context that in ancient / medieval times being strange or a stranger was reason enough to be killed and that with warrior cultures it just seems like the thing to do ! Beowulf at least questions these assumptions.
Getting back to the film: The language and accents make understanding what is being said difficult at time; A bit like some sort of attempt to give an ancient feel to the dialogue but at times just makes it hard to follow. This got better as I got used to it.
I would say this is more an art film than an action adventure and can be slower paced than what one is used to. ( Good thing in context. ) Oh, an Icelandic / Canadian co-production with all the good points of small quality production but with the limitations of small budgets. :p :lol:
Oh, the actors must have gone through a cold and damp HELL filming in real rain and in cold water.
Finally the caractors didn't seem to be worried about their
maille and their sword getting wet and their cabbards filling up with seawater. :eek: :eek: :eek: No time out cleaning / oiling their armour after a good dunking ! Just put the wet sword into the wet scabbard :wtf: :lol:
Just added this last to horrify our scabbard makers out there. :p :lol: