Playback Magazine-Good and bad in Beowulf

March 20, 2006
News

Critical Mass
Good and bad in Beowulf



page 10

Beowulf & Grendel: Despite the many flaws in Sturla Gunnarsson's latest, the critics heaped praise on at least one thing - the stunning visuals.

The medieval adventure, shot in Iceland with DOP Jan Kiesser (Rare Birds), is a "magnificent film to watch - thanks to the majestic visuals and the captivating scenery," says the Vancouver Sun's Katherine Monk, "but it fails to satisfy emotionally."

The ancient poem has been "plausibly retrofitted" but lacks the "savage bite that might have given the sixth century-set tale real impact," complains Todd McCarthy in Variety, while The Globe and Mail's Liam Lacey warns that "the accumulated missteps flip the entire movie over into Monty Python-ish silliness."

Jim Slotek of the Toronto Sun also faults the script by Andrew Rai Berzins, but says the film is "by turns stark, ludicrous and fascinating."

http://www.playbackmag.com/articles/magazine/20060320/criticalmass.html?word=beowulf&word=grendel