5/5 dvd
  by Mark A. Edwards
The DVD I purchesed was great just as described will do business with seller again

5/5 Note the red graphics on the packaging -- a terrific film! (details)
  by Patrick W. Crabtree (Lucasville, OH USA)
I specifically mentioned the red graphics as there is one version with white lettering on the cover.

So first, to make sure we're discussing apples and apples, I'm reviewing the version which says "Beowulf, Director's Cut" in red lettering on the face of the packaging. I paid four bucks for mine at the video store -- it was pre-played and in like-new condition.

The technical stuff is that this film/DVD IS in widescreen and runs for 114 minutes. The film is un-rated (IMDB has it at PG-13, mostly for some mild nudity and sexual scenes which aren't very graphic.) There has been a lot of digital enhancement of this film, particularly to punctuate the action scenes and this feature has been well-done throughout. You might characterize it as semi-animation but it's not cartooney in any way and looks very realistic.

WARNING: MINOR SPOILER HEAD!

THE STORY: The time is 507 A.D. where Beowulf is a mighty heroic and pagan warrior who comes to the aid of the King of Denmark whose kingdom is plagued with periodic raids by the demon-monster Grendel. Grendel, a pathetic and violent gigantic creature who has a taste for human flesh and blood, is soon dealt with by Beowulf but Grendel's "mother" is much more formidable and she's really ticked off that Beowulf snuffed her offspring. The final two-thirds of the film deals with that conflict as well as with Beowulf's mercenary exploits.

This 2007 film is loosely based upon the anonymous epic poem (written sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries) of the same title. The story is considered very important to Anglo-Saxon literature. In both the poem and the film Beowulf overcomes various mythical creatures which threaten humanity.

I first saw this film, having borrowed the DVD from the local public library -- this was an inferior version, rendered in full-screen which I do not recommend. Watching this movie in the widescreen version on a widescreen television is a must.

The two big stars include Ray Winstone as Beowulf (also terrific in Henry VIII) and Anthony Hopkins (a little known youthful performance here: War & Peace (1972)) as Hrothgar. The movie also stars John Malkovich and Angelina Jolie. The casting is excellent and the cinematography is equally terrific.

While this film doesn't quite compare in magnificence to The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition) I still thought it was even a little better than Eragon (Widescreen Edition).

In any case, this fine film earned my highest rating.

2/5 Missed opportunity
  by FX artist (Redondo Beach, CA)
If you appreciate the original tale of Beowulf, then this film doesn't add much and in fact is a poor version on multiple levels: story-wise and technically. First off, Zemekis has taken way too much liberty with the source material (the portrayal of Grendel's mom and some other less needed story elements). Beowulf's relations with Grendel's mom is very inaccurately portrayed, along with the final revelation in the film which is really not present in the original story. In order to flesh out and pad a relatively straight forward story of a hero, Zemekis has managed to create a wasted opportunity with extraneous plot none-sense.

Beyond that, this film still suffers from the zombie-eye cg puppet syndrome ailing all of the director's motion captured films (though less creepy than the now famous Polar express). The animation is very weak because relying too heavily on mocap info deadens the action. Realistic portrayal of digital actors is still a work in progress, and it does this movie no favors. Too bad, because despite it all the story of Beowulf could make an interesting film when done right.

1/5 Horrible!
  by JOJO DANCER
If you must watch it then rent it. This is one of the worst movies I have ever attempted to watch.

4/5 Review for the regular edition of the DVD
  by Matthew Dickinson
Beowulf sucks. He can't fight worth a damn, and I don't know why he's the hero. The monster Grendel and the dragon are pretty cool. I thought Neil Gaiman's writing was bad, but maybe he wrote some of the visual stuff, too (the ideas). I think maybe the reason why they went with 3D and CG was because they wanted to get around the nudity problem and still have it PG-13. Pretty clever, but I think nudity should be in PG-13 movies too. You have to be 13 to write a review here ,which means you're not a kid. I disliked a lot of the attempts at "humor" in this movie. BUt the scene at the end -- chapter 13 -- all that with the dragon, that was great, and the religious information in it, was interesting too. I think they should have made the fights more physically believable. They're not even trying. The fights in Lethal Weapon 4, while fantastic, are almost always physically believable. I think. From what I saw.

I didn't like the music in it (Beowulf) at all. What's with all the fairy Enya stuff? They should have used music by Windir.