Beowulf - To CGI or not to CGI

Title: Beowulf
Cast(voiceover & modelling): Ray Winston, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich
& Angelina Jolie
Director: Robert Zemeckis (Back to The Future, Forrest Gump...)
Story: A monster called Grendel ravages the kingdom of the Danes and a warrior called Beowulf comes and slays it only to enrage its mother.
Bottomline: Motion Capture animation Beta Version


To CGI or not to CGI, this is the dilemma that the director Robert Zemeckis seems to be in throughout this movie. What comes out finally is a half-baked product that wants to dazzle in all motion capture splendour but is pained by the budget constraints it faces under an unknown production house. Had it been fabricated by ILM(Industrial Light and Magic) 

or Dreamworks could have been much different. But the director can be appreciated for 

making the protagonist refreshingly humane. It comes as an unique attempt to sway adults in favour of animation movies. Don't take your children along with you looking at the 'animation 

movie' tag. The movie has as much blood, gore and sex as a movie like say '300'. In that regard this is the first 'A' rated animation movie ever released.

         Also this movie reminds you a lot of '300' in terms of the sheer energy that it gives out.
In the acting department, everybody has done a commendable effort special mention to Ray Winston and Angelina Jolie. But however real the models look like they still have those soulless eyes that convey no emotion.
HK's verdict: Better ventures in the field of motion capture are expected. This is just a Beta version. The best is yet to come. But the graphics are superb nonetheless.
Rating: 6.5/10(Hollywood Standard)