Chris and I went to see the new ‘Beowulf’ movie this weekend.
I have to admit that I actually enjoyed it.
I didn’t realize that it was in 3-D, but I am happy to report that the red-and-blue glasses are no longer being used. The new ones look a great deal like the old US Army “birth control” glasses, and have clear lenses.
If you go see this movie, though, be forewarned: don’t put on the glasses during the previews. Matter-of-fact, don’t put them on at all until the screen tells you to.
I wore them for about 5 seconds during a 2-D preview, and the resulting strobe effect almost did me in right there.
‘Beowulf’ got a little over-happy with the 3-D effects — you can only have things poking off the screen at your eyes a certain number of times before you want to shriek, “I get it already!”, but the 3-D did add to the experience.
I got caught up in the story, and the CG effects became unnoticeable to me fairly quickly.
There were some liberties taken with the story, but I was able to overlook them — which is a nice testament to how immersed I became.
Grendel and his mother do some conversing in Anglo-Saxon, but if you’re paying attention, the conversations are quite understandable.
All-in-all, I’ll give this one the Paw of Approval — and I’ll probably be getting the DVD when it comes out.
LawDog
I did hear it was best to see this at an Imax cinema. Didn’t know it was 3-d, though. I hope AJ’s hip-bones don’t put anyone’s eye out.
Wonder how many pairs of glasses will come with the DVD?
Sweet, the blog spammers have found you- YOU’VE ARRIVED!
I saw it on the Imax. Pretty, good, my girlfriend used her elbows every time I mentioned the departure from the book…
I didn’t actually see it, but from what I saw on the movie board at the mall, the was a non-3D version as well….and when it comes out on DVD, I doubt that it will be 3D, they usually aren’t. (unfortunately)
Probably as close to the original as was “Tin Man” [on the Sci-Fi channel] to the “Wizard of Oz”.
Of course, once upon a very long time ago I was an English teacher, and had “Beowulf” as a grad course.
Olde Force
I saw the flat screen version and was also favorably impressed.
Although I thought Hrothgar missed an opportunity to boast that he ate Fafnir’s liver with some lentils and a nice horn of mead.
I also appreciated how Beowulf suffered from the same issues that Bill Clinton had when discussing his golf score.
Honestly, though, Princess Buttercup should never have dumped Wesley for a Dane.
Alas as I am legally and functionally blind in the left eye from birth I cannot enjoy 3D movies much to my dismay.
It really doesn’t affect me. You wouldn’t know I was a cyclops by looking at me. It can be annoying at times but since I’ve never known anything different I cope quite easily. I can’t see like everyone else through binoculars for instance. My depth perception must be different than everyone else but I wouldn’t know. I can still hit and catch a ball but I use time and different visual cues other than depth.
I’m shut out of the 3D movie world though which bugs me.
I know exactly what you mean. I managed to accidentally stab myself in my right eye with a knife when I was thirteen. The eye works amazingly well given the trauma, but I lost the ability to use both eyes simultaneously as a result.
Just saw this last night – in Imax 3D. Wow… and now I understand LD’s urge to shriek “I get it already!!!” Almost as many cheesy 3D effects as the Muppets in 3D show at DisneyMGM!
But definitely worth going to see.
PS to the folks who have monocular vision: I came VERY close to joining you; took a spear to the faceplate at an SCA event, which shattered my glasses lens (who knew that “safety” glass could shatter?). Thanks to a VERY talented surgeon at Pittsburg EYe and Ear, however, my sight was saved… and I now wear nothing but polycarbonate glasses and am VERY paranoid about my sight. So I do sympathize with you as I came very close to joining you.
Dear Anonymous:
Get your own blog. Posting forty pages of stream-of-consciousness bushwa in my ‘Comments’ is disrespectful.