Thursday 29 November 2007

I'm Beowulf, and I'm ’ere to kill your mons-tah!


This is a fantastic film: intelligent, beautiful, visceral, sexy, funny. It’s great to see a film that delivers on the blockbuster thrills, but also makes you think. The plot twist screenwriters Giaman and Avary have added is inspired - I won’t spoil it, but it relates to the second battle (pictured - and no she wasn‘t all naked and gold and curvy in the poem, and yes there is a good reason for it)

It’s a great example of the saying that if life is one thing after another, drama is one thing because of another, and…well I won’t spoil it, but the twist also relates to the central theme of storytelling, and …look, just go see, ok?

If there’s any justice, then it'll win an screenplay oscar. There isn't, and it won't (Something dull and worthy like Atonement will) But hopefullyRay Winstone's delivery of the line “I am Beowulf, and I am ’ere to kill your mons-tah!” will do down in history with “You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off” and “You talking to me?” as one of those lines that everyone quotes. Fantastic!

Phillip Palmer has more here. Official site here.

4 comments:

Jon said...

Interesting to see a positive review of the film: the couple of reviews I've seen so far have been quite negative. One of the biggest complaints has been that Beowulf is indestructible and this therefore lessens tension somewhat. This was a problem I had with The Matrix sequels. I'll have to check the Palmer piece.

(Phillip Palmer was one of my tutors, does that allow me to be smug?)

Robin Kelly said...

I must admit it has been slipping down my to-watch list but it's gone up a bit now. My local's showing the 3D version.

Elinor said...

I want to see this but I kind of think it's got to be a thankless task for any actresses in it. Am I right?

martin said...

Jon - *spoiler alert* Beowulf dies, so it's strange for them to argue he's indestructable. And all the single handedly fighting monsters is in the poem anyway.

Robin - go see it in 3D!

Elinor - there are 3 pretty decent female parts actually, especially Angelina's, but apart from that yes it is pretty much wenches serving mead and being "swivved"