Beowulf & Grendel

Plot

In 500 CE, Hrothgar, king of Denmark, and his warriors chase a large man they consider a troll and his young son, Grendel, to a seaside cliff. The Danes kill the father, whose body falls to the beach, and Hrothgar spares the boy. Grendel later retrieves his father's head and keeps it in a cave as a memorial. Years later, now grown large and powerful, Grendel plans revenge.

After twenty of Hrothgar's warriors are found dead in his hall, Beowulf sails from Geatland with thirteen Geats to help. The village is in despair, and many convert to Christianity at an Irish monk's urging. Grendel raids at night but flees rather than fight. The witch Selma tells Beowulf that Grendel will not fight him because Beowulf has done him no wrong.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, Beowulf & Grendel holds a 47% approval rating from 34 reviews, with an average rating of 5.42/10; the consensus states the film fails to find its footing in the transition from epic tale to screen. Metacritic gives a weighted average score of 53 out of 100 from 16 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Todd McCarthy of Variety called the film too genteel despite its cinematography and believability. Mick LaSalle of The San Francisco Chronicle criticized its attempt to turn the legend into a morality tale and found Sarah Polley miscast.

Manohla Dargis of The New York Times gave two out of four stars, praising production values but faulting the reinterpretation of Grendel and removal of mystical elements. Nick Schager of Slant Magazine noted a lack of mythic grandeur and criticized added vulgarity and Polley's casting. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly commended the film's naturalistic approach and direction.

Did You Know?

• A documentary about the difficult making of the film, titled Wrath of Gods, was released in 2006 and won six film awards in Europe and the U.S.
• Four new characters not in the original poem were introduced: Grendel's father, the witch Selma, Father Brendan, and Grendel's son.
• The film was shot in Iceland, providing panoramic views of that country's landscape.