Angelina 3D after all: Thanks to Imai-san for pointing out that while there is no IMAX in Tokyo anymore, there are Digital 3D screens, for example at the new Shinjuku Wald 9 multiplex.

The whole movie is computer-generated imagery, featuring characters closely resembling their original motion-captured human actors, and herein lies the catch: The effect is somewhat eerie and unsettling. Other animated films like Ratatouille, Pocahontas, or Team America are not trying to create the illusion that you are watching real people. But Beowulf is obviously aiming to be completely life-like, which works great for all the action scenes, for snow, and rain, and water, and fire. But lack of facial expression and dead eyes really distract from dialogue (it seemed to be less of a problem with the male characters, probably because of their beards hiding large parts of the faces).

Other than that, Beowulf was a surprisingly good film. It makes a very strong addition to the dragon slayer genre, the plot, which differs from the Old English poem, is interesting and epic, the 3D is a fun novelty that does not distract, the voice acting is fine, especially Unferth's early challenge to Beowulf (could have been spectacular with real John Malkovich and Ray Winstone), and the over-the-top masculinity of the title character ( who engages in five-day-swimming-matches and fights the monster naked) is at the same time spot-on and being satirised,

7 points