From the makers of The Polar Express... comes the bloodiest movie I have ever seen. Too bad Tom Hanks wasnt around to feed the demon. I was blown away by this movie. The cinematography and action were amazing, and at several points, my jaw dropped in amazement at what I was seeing. Some people agreed with me, as this film made $82 million in 2007, which is quite impressive for an animated adult fantasy (see Fire & Ice or Lord of the Rings or Strings or countless others), in spite of its $150 million budget.

Beowulf tells the tale of the hero, Beowulf, who defeats a demon Grendel, becomes king and then must face a dragon born of his own tragic making. Grendel attacks twice, tearing people in half, eating guts, and just being a real SOB. Beowulf takes him down, then goes for his witch mama, but makes a deal instead. Oh, our poor flawed hero. But lucky us, this results in probably the best dragon action sequence I have ever seen, and the way this dragon is defeated must be seen to be believed!

I can see how the motion capture effect could be off putting to some, but frankly I loved it. It looked very realistic, but with a subtle otherworldliness that enhanced the movie's feel. Video game cut scenes, these were not. And the performances seemed genuine. I wouldn't want every movie to use this technique, but her, it worked. I cannot say enough good things about this movie. Maybe its a guilty pleasure, but it sure entertained, and the story was surprisingly well developed (go Gaiman!). Not sure if it would hold up to repeat viewings after the shock values subsided, but for now, I bow to Beo and give him an A.