| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A+ |
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| Acting: |
A |
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| Direction: |
A+ |
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| Visuals: |
A+ |
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Great film: reply to harsh critics
by Marbelle Photo Video (movies profile)
May 30, 2008
13
of
14 people found this review helpful
I thought I would take the time to respond to the critics of this film. I think this film is an extremely thoughtful and honest interpretation of the Beowulf text.
The costume design is by far the most accurate depiction of 4th century Germanic costume ever seen in any film, ever. If you were walking in the British museum, the Viking Ship museum in Oslo, or to any of the various ancient Germanic sites around Scandinavia and the UK you would see where the models for the costume were found.
The language of the film, though in English, is heavily influenced, in rhythm and sounds (as well as emphasis) on a VERY germanic rendition of English. There are opinionated viewers who can't get past "curse" words like "s**t", "f**k", etc. One reviewer even says something to the extent "I didn't know they talked like that back then". For your information "bad" words didn't become "bad" words in English until after the Norman-French invasion of England. Words in the Saxon-English that the Norman-French saw as vulgar became "Curse words". They did indeed talk like that; and I am glad they did it, and it arouses the accurate response in those of a more Norman-French disposition.
Religion. The film makes a point to make of Christianity a satire. Again, I applaud this. Beowulf explicitly takes place BEFORE the Germanic peoples were coerced into Christianity (through violence and Politics). The production crew included a number of believing people, many Icelandic Asatruar were on set, including the "High Priest" of the Pre-Christian Pagan believers of Iceland. For those who's Christian sensibilities were offended; you got it exactly! Beowulf is about as Christian as Hercules.
The witch character is the worst in the film, but thankfully she isn't in the picture that much, not enough to diminish the scale of the film. It was filmed in Iceland, with lots of extras from Iceland; The Hall was accurate to the period of architecture, the wind was made by nature in Iceland, not even wind-machines were used.
As far as those who think portraying Beowulf as "thoughtful" and "reflective" as "womanly" (as if this is an insult), I suggest you look at the other literature from the period; especially the Eddas. Odin is ALWAYS portrayed as a reflective thinker, wise, and investigative. Brute force that these viewers seem to be looking for, is the realm of the Etins, unthoughtful belligerent beings of ignorance and stupid violence.
The reason Beowulf is concerned with Grendel is that he respects his enemy; he is sympathetic to him because their fates are intertwined, he fights him because he promised to (not because he is happy to). He stays entirely true to his heathen ways throughout the film.
This is the best viking film ever made, it is the best portrayal of Beowulf ever, and it is done with so much care and sympathy to the text and world of Beowulf you would do well to learn from it.
"One word led to another word
One work lead to another work" -Odin, Havamal |
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