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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
BEOWULF WITH CHEESE, June 10, 2001
If you are a rabid fan of ye olde epic Beowulf, and are dying to see it adapted to film, then this is probably not for you. I recommend The 13th Warrior instead. Actually, I recommend The 13th Warrior to any fan of medieval action or fantasy adventure. My endorsement of Beowulf doesn't go NEARLY as far, and yet somehow, in spite of its many glaring flaws, I find this "adaptation" quite entertaining. This straight-to-video year 2000 take on the ancient tale stars Christopher Lambert as the superhuman hero Beowulf, except this isn't the Dark Ages. Instead, the events take place in a post-apocalyptic future of gears and steaming pipes (a setting that, I feel, was a mistake). It has Hrothgar the "Border Lord," Grendel, and Grendel's mother, but everything else from the poem is absent, and here the similarities begin to wane. As movies go, this is Fortress meets Mortal Kombat (both of which starred Lambert) meets Mad Max, and thrown somewhere in the middle of this techno-gothic realm is Beowulf. Beowulf himself has become a high-flying martial artist (thanks to Lambert's stand-in, naturally); Grendel's mother has become a sexy porn star succubus who seduces Hrothgar in his dreams; and Grendel is your typical B-movie creature with some purple haze surrounding him at all times to make the costume seem more imposing (and, point of fact, it does make the man in a monster suit beastie seem less like what it actually is). Not unlike the old fantasy flick The Sword and the Sorcerer, Beowulf still manages to be fun in spite of its many failings and sometimes laughable production values (not to mention laughable acting). I still haven't managed to grasp how it can equal more than the sum of its parts, but if you don't expect a film version of the old epic and instead expect a second-rate Lambert action flick, you might have fun also. (stress on MIGHT - different strokes for different folks...)
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
"What Brings You? The Darkness" ~ The Quotability Factor, July 24, 2006
Though the '98 sword and sorcery film 'Beowulf' adapted from a 8th century Saxon epic poem doesn't receive high marks overall, it does contain everything necessary to attract a sizeable cult following.
What Attracts A Cult Following?
1) Charismatic Hero: Christopher Lambert stars in the role of Beowulf. That will attract Highlander, The Hunt and Mortal Combat fans.
2) Hot Women: His co-star and romantic interest is gorgeous newcomer Rhona Mitra as Kyra. She is one of the sexiest actresses to appear in a fantasy adventure film since Caroline Munro graced the screen in the role of the slave girl Margiana in the '74 film, 'The Golden Voyage of Sinbad'. It's worth watching just for her. (*There's also a brief appearance by ex-Playboy centerfolds' Patricia Velazquez as the ill-fated Pendra and Layla Roberts as Grendal's demonic Mother).
3) Quotability Factor: The dialogue is trite and annoyingly shallow, but contains many quotable lines such as; "I'm not like other men" and "The only thing that stops me from being evil is fighting evil". Quotability is a must for attaining cult status consideration.
4) Monster Aesthetics: Grendal is an acceptable adversary for Beowulf, but his demoness Mother (Layla Roberts) is even better.
5) Music Appreciation: 'Beowulf' contains a strong, pounding, contemporary rock soundtrack to help keep you focused.
OK for one viewing, but not much more unless you're a hardcore Lambert fan or just like looking at Rhona Mitra. On second thought, maybe a repeat viewing is in order.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real treat for Lambert fans, January 22, 2006
I love this movie for many reasons, and sure I can see how some people can dislike it because it's not their cup of tea, they might see it as a cheap movie with mediocre acting because they are used to a more mainstream type of a movie while this one is a detour on the straight road of life.
Christopher Lambert is a flaxen hair warrior on a horse yielding a sword in a battle against a man eatting monster by the name of Grendel, which is mysteriously somehow connected to him, while Enigma crossed with the Matrix type music blasts through out the movie. Lambert plays Beowulf who comes to a place called the Outpost, where many troubles are happening, and he volunteers to kill the beast that is running on murderous rampages when night falls. He also establishes a relationship with a young widow and tackles her brother who doesn't trust him.
I'm a huge Lambert fan, he's quirky and odd but his movies are different and simply great. If you enjoy movies such as Conan, Red Sonja and fantasy costume and monster madness then this might be a great addition to your collection. This sci-fi adaptaion of the medieval Anglo-Saxon legend was filmed on location in Romania and it really looks ancient, while the acting isn't oscar material, I appreciate it for what it is.
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