Motion-capture madness

Robert Zemeckis is one of the most heralded directors when it comes to special effects and new technology. He's done great things in his career, including the "Back To The Future" trilogy and "Forest Gump." However, his obsession with the motion-capture technology led to "The Polar Express," which brought audiences the creepy, soulless eye syndrome of the characters. The use of motion capture was a wash, but it obviously didn't deter Zemeckis from going with it again in his new film "Beowulf." \nThe plot of the film is raised from the Old English poem of the same title. The village of Heorot and its king Hrothgar are attacked by the creature Grendel, who murders many people in the mead hall. The warrior Beowulf arrives in the village, claiming he will dispose of Grendel. And while Beowulf makes good on his promise, his encounter with Grendel's mother creates a chain reaction that affects him many, many years later. \nThe animation is what's most important here. Thankfully, many of the pitfalls that were noted regarding "The Polar Express" have been fixed. It takes about 15 minutes to get used to, but once the action sequences begin, "Beowulf" doesn't look much different than other films -- most films use all CGI for action anyway -- and you easily get immersed in the plot without dwelling on the fact the film is not live action. The motion capture looks especially good on Anthony Hopkins and John Malkovich, as their animated counterparts seem almost identical to the real people. However, in some of the wider shots, the extra people in the scenes look much like they would in "Shrek," so the technology isn't flawless quite yet.\nOnce you get used to the motion capture, "Beowulf" becomes an extremely entertaining film. The action sequences look beautiful, and the film story is much easier to follow than the one from the poem. At the very least, this version will keep you interested for a hell of a lot longer than the boring one you read in high school.