- Emilia Clarke vs The FBI in ABOVE SUSPICION [Trailer]
- Emilia Clarke vs The FBI in ABOVE SUSPICION [Trailer]
- Ben Wheatley Returns with IN THE EARTH [Trailer]
- Ben Wheatley Returns with IN THE EARTH [Trailer]
- Josh Hartnett is Memorable in Drug Drama INHERIT THE VIPER [Review]
- Cube Meets Saw in MEANDER Trailer from Mathieu Turi
- EIFF 2019: ANIARA is a Deeply Haunting Sci-Fi Experience [Review]
- BERLINALE 2021: TIDES Comes After Hell [Trailer]
- EIFF 2019: ANIARA is a Deeply Haunting Sci-Fi Experience [Review]
- Darkstar Pictures Announces Free Online Film Festival!
- Re: Occupation, Australian Sci Fi movie
- Slice of Life, Blade Runner inspired short
- Is Snowpeircer a sequel to Willy Wonka?
- Re: Yesterday
- Re: Yesterday
- Yesterday
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Re: White Night (or where do I get my 30 + from now?)
- Don't Mess With the SCAVENGER [Trailer]
- BERLINALE 2021: TIDES Comes After Hell [Trailer]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- A Comet Destoys Earth in GREENLAND Trailer
- Interactive WAR OF THE WORLDS Adaptation Out Now!
- 8K Trailer for Train to Busan Sequel PENINSULA Drops Hard!
- Making a Bomb Shelter in a Funhouse is a Bad Idea in IMPACT EVENT [Trailer]
- Retro Slave: FOX's Post-Apocalyptic Sitcom WOOPS!
- TRAIN TO BUSAN Sequel PENINSULA Gets a Teaser Trailer
- New on Blu-ray and DVD for March 11, 2020
- The Apocalypse Kills Women in ONLY [Trailer]
- SATOR is a Welcome Addition to the Folk Horror Canon [Review]
- Women in Horror Month: NEAR DARK
- SOUTHLAND TALES: The Cannes Cut [Review]
- A Woman's Mind Unravels in BIGHT HILL ROAD [Review]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- TIFF 2020: APPLES, THE WAY I SEE IT, PIECES OF A WOMAN & ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI [Capsule Reviews]
- TIFF 2020: The Truth Tellers Return with THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL [Review]
- TIFF 2020: NEW ORDER is Brutal, Violent & a Must-See [Review]
- TIFF 2020: ENEMIES OF THE STATE, Or Are They? [Review]
- TIFF 2020: HOLLER Explores Life in a Dying Town [Review]
- Split Personality Thriller MINOR PREMISE Coming Soon [Trailer]
- Who Hunts Who in HUNTER HUNTER? [Trailer]
- SKYLINES Is Coming! [Poster Premiere]
- Enter for Your Chance to Win a Blu-Ray Copy of 2067 [Contest]
- Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival Returns with In-Person Event [Line Up]
- Family Drama & Creature Feature. WHAT LIES BELOW Brings Both? [Trailer]
- LUNATIQUE Director Returns with WASTELAND 3 Promo [Short Film]
- Producer Adrienne Biddle on Horror, Working with Bryan Bertino & Their Latest THE DARK AND THE WICKED [Interview]
- Joe Manganiello is a Washed Up Superhero in ARCHENEMY [Trailer]
- Nightstream Horror Festival Launches Next Week [Lineup]
- 2067 Director Talks Inspiration, Environment & Time Travel [Interview]
- THE STRANGERS Director Returns with THE DARK AND THE WICKED [Trailer]
- Michael Shannon is Crime Boss in ECHO BOOMERS [Trailer]
- Hair Extensions Get Horrific in BAD HAIR [Trailer]
- TIFF 2020: Vanlife Gets a Reality Check in NOMADLAND [Review]
- VIFF 2020: Sobriety, Reintegration & Telekinesis Come Together in THE CURSE OF WILLOW SONG [Interview]
- VIFF 2020: Revenge Thriller Re-Examined in VIOLATION [Interview]
- VIFF2020: Director Loretta Todd on the Making of Her Debut Feature MONKEY BEACH [Interview]
- TIFF 2020: APPLES, THE WAY I SEE IT, PIECES OF A WOMAN & ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI [Capsule Reviews]
- TIFF 2020: The Truth Tellers Return with THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL [Review]
Jack In
Latest Comments
Latest Forum Posts
PA News
Latest Reviews
Older News
Crew
Marina Antunes
Editor in Chief
Vancouver, British Columbia
Christopher Webster
Managing Editor
Edmonton, Alberta
DN aka quietearth
Founder / Asst. Managing Editor
Denver, Colorado
Simon Read
UK Correspondent
Edinburgh, Scotland
Rick McGrath
Toronto Correspondent
Toronto, Ontario
Manuel de Layet
France Correspondent
Paris, France
rochefort
Austin Correspondent
Austin, Texas
Daniel Olmos
Corrispondente in Italia
Italy
Griffith Maloney aka Griffith Maloney
New York Correspondent
New York, NY
Stephanie O
Floating Correspondent
Quiet Earth Bunker
Jason Widgington
Montreal Correspondent
Montreal, Quebec
Carlos Prime
Austin Correspondent
Austin, TX
Latest news







Year: 1999
Release date: 1999
Director: Graham Baker
Writer: Mark Leahy
IMDB: link
Amazon: link
Trailer: link
Review by: agentorange
Rating: 5.5 out of 10
Are you ready to play 6 degrees of Christopher Lambert?
Just as Cyborg took the PA genre to new heights of blockbuster silliness 10 years earlier, so too was Graham Baker's Beowulf designed as a treat for genre fans looking to chow down on some pop-corny post apocalyptic fun times at the turn of the new millennium. Basically, this version of Beowulf is a mindless techno-rock monster movie that owes little to its literary source material and more to earlier 90s vidja game movies like Paul Anderson's Mortal Combat (which also starred Chris Lambert... that's 1). However, it's also a film that looks waaay too bloody cool for me to hate it like I know I should and with the added bonus of Rhona Mitra flaunting her womanly wares like it's 1999, well, this movie remains somewhat of a winner for all kinds of right and wrong reasons.
Since we all know the story, let's start with the film's amazing production design. The world of this particular incarnation of the epic 6th century poem was designed by one Jonathan A. Carlson, who's past work includes Highlander: Endgame (which also starred Christopher Lambert... that's 2) as well as many episodes of last season's LOST. An amazing blend of medieval fantasy and post-apocalyptic industrial wasteland, Beowulf throws design logic to the wind in favor of armored faceplates that have no eye holes, swords that have handbrakes, and six foot cerated edged broadswords that wouldn't slice a pot roast let alone a mythic monster. This is a violent comic book vision come to life.
The film takes place in a castle-like outpost that's designed to be grimy and muddy to the max. This lends a great realism to the film. The costume design is also well thought out (if leather's your thing) with straps, buckles, skull helmets, chain mail and all the minute details worked out to give a certain credibility to the world... which is good because everything else about the film is pretty incredulous.
Armed with more blades than a Chinese sous-chef, Christopher Lambert plays the titular hero, a silent but deadly (heh) warrior with a sorded past who wants to look death in the face and see if it's the root of his salvation. He also miraculously heals really fast and is adept at doing slow motion back flips which come in handy as Grendel is sorta slow what with all that latex rubber weighing him down.
The acting? Okay, I love Chris Lambert in theory but his accent is a serious impediment to his delivery at times. He's great in French films but here? Not so good. Honestly, all talk of "assets" aside, Rhona Mitra is the best actor in Beowulf and I'm not surprised she became the star she is now. Lots of great character actors round out the ensemble cast- like Charles Robinson of Night Court fame (did anyone see the 30 Rock Night Court reunion episode?), and Oliver Cotton - but still the mismatched ragtag cast are mostly working against each other.
The FX are nothing much to cheer at either though considering this film was made on the cusp of CGI mania, I'm surprised there isn't more dated FX work in the film. Grendel is mostly hidden behind a computer generated warping effect which actually saves it from being too silly but the money shots at the end really show their age. Miniature work and matte paintings abound!
The bottom line here is you already know whether you're the kind of viewer who's gonna love this film or the kind of viewer who's going to turn up their nose at it and move on to Derek Jarman's Jubilee or something. Me, I love this stuff as much as the smarty pants movies so I had a blast watching it for the fist time ever (if you can believe it) and I know there are more of me out there. Oh and btw I know I totally stopped playing 6 degrees of Chris Lambert somewhere at the top of the review but honestly a combination of it being kinda late and drinkgin a whole bottle of Pinot Griggio made me lose interest somewhere around the middle of the review.
You might also like








Anglebender (12 years ago) Reply
LOL Chris Lambert is a parachute on a rocket: Thankfully Beowulf has been aptly realized by Robert Zemeckis, but this late 90's version makes great party fodder!