Beowulf & Grendel

"Beowulf is a favorite piece of literature for me. This was at least a somewhat decent representation of it. I probably wouldn't watch it again. "

"Gerard Butler and Stellan Scarsgård star in this more realistic adaptation of the Scandanavian tale of Beowulf and Grendel. Although this movie is slower paced than I usually like, I am rating it four stars because it treats this well-known tale like a tragic one. We don't see Beowulf as a hero or a perfect warrior. There is no glory to be had after his victories over Grendel and his mother. Rather, we see the true face of a warrior who makes one mistake after another, goaded on by a pathetic and guilt- ridden king played by Skarsgård. The movie is filmed in the countryside of what is supposed to be Denmark or Sweden. The setting is fitting, as it shows haggard people who are led by a weak king, looking for some sort of absolution from his sins. I thought that Gerard played the role of Beowulf well, and as realistically as possible. There are bits of action and suspense, but mostly the slow storytelling of the saga."

"The better of the two Beawulf films that came out in 2005."