There’s a certain time, place and mood for watching mythical hero vs. monster movies, and to my surprise last night turned out to be one of them.

After sitting down with my popcorn and 3D glasses, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and prepared myself for the worst, especially upon discovering the movie was going to be done completely with computer animation. Argh. Another two hours wasted, I thought.  Should of got the sour patch kids.

Surprisingly enough, the sour patch kids were barely necessary. In fact, the movie was so engrossing that I hardly even put a dent in my popcorn. The 3D effect was pretty cool too. At first, it all seemed a little hokey, with the seymore glasses and flying objects protruding out of the screen right to your eyeballs, but it wasn’t long before you realized 3D ain’t all that bad when it comes to angry ancient demons, flying medieval weaponry, and Angelina Jolie’s mother of monsters breasts. 

Speaking of monsters, what’s up with Grendel? He might look like a giant regurgitated carcass, but that monster sure knows how to make an entrance. To be honest, I wasn’t sure whose side I was on when Beowulf was fighting him. So what if Grendel destroyed half a village of ‘merrymakers’.  Who could blame him?  Why should an immense monster of ancient demonic lineage have to put up with the crap singing and raucous banter of a bunch of annoying drunk humans anyway? I mean how are Grendel and his demon mother supposed to discuss the finer points of malevolence in any way profound when their cave is being overrun by the racket of inebriated ‘merrymakers’ in the mead hall down the hill…seriously.

Yes, this movie was tight with heart and spirit. Unlike some folks, I didn't mind that it deviated a little from the poem it was based on, probably since I never read the poem anyway.  Hell, if it’s good enough to make you almost forget you’re watching computer animation, it’s dig.