Beowulf & Grendel (2005)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Sturla Gunnarsson

Writers:

Anonymous (epic poem "Beowulf")
Andrew Rai Berzins (writer)

Release Date:

9 March 2006 (Thailand)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

The Hero. The Monster. The Myth.

Plot:

The blood-soaked tale of a Norse warrior's battle against the great and murderous troll, Grendel. Heads will roll...

Plot Keywords:

Beowulf | Troll | King | Dane | Sea

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Hringur Ingvarsson	...	Young Grendel
Spencer Wilding	...	Grendel's Father
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Hrothgar
Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson	...	Grendel (as Ingvar E. Sigurdsson)
Gunnar Eyjólfsson	...	Aeschere
Gerard Butler	...	Beowulf
Philip Whitchurch	...	Fisherman
Ronan Vibert	...	Thorkel
Rory McCann	...	Breca
Tony Curran	...	Hondscioh
Martin Delaney	...	Thorfinn
Mark Lewis	...	King Hygelac
Elva Ósk Ólafsdóttir	...	Sea Hag
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson	...	Unferth
Steinunn Ólína Þorsteinsdóttir	...	Wealtheow (as Steinunn Ólína Thorsteinsdóttir)

Also Known As:

Bjólfskviða (Iceland)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

Canada:103 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:103 min

Country:

Canada | UK | Iceland

Language:

English | Latin | Icelandic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | Netherlands:16 | Netherlands:12 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Company:

Movision

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: At 1:30:25, when Beowulf enters the cave on the beach you can see an orange extension cord in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Quotes:

Brendan the Celt: I'm told you're the Danes' king.
King Hrothgar: Celt, you're a ways from home.
Brendan the Celt: I am. But safe with the sword of Christ.
King Hrothgar: Christ, eh? Heard of him. You ever have much luck with trolls?
Brendan the Celt: I'm of the thought they never cross paths. But if you're willing to bow before Christ you shall feel the blessing of his great strength.
King Hrothgar: My gods don't ask me to bow.
Brendan the Celt: And nor should they dare if they won't protect you. To face God's foes is an honor. I've come to drive this evil out.
King Hrothgar: [laughts] With a stick?
Brendan the Celt: With the fire of Heaven!
King Hrothgar: Well, if your heaven's on fire you'd better look to that.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Wrath of Gods (2006)

$60 in gas- worth every penny!

I afforded myself the opportunity to see this movie since it was showing in the same hemisphere I live in and I write this in hopes that somehow Cyb space thoughts will be transmitted to those who distribute movies. My hope is that others will be able to see this version of an ancient tale that holds so much relevance to the world we live in without having to leave their country to do it. Though I have to say Canada, in particular Vancouver is beautiful! I have never done so much homework before seeing a movie- re-read the poem Beowulf, read John Gardner's book GRENDEL and read many of the very clear statements at the Beowulf and Grendel website by the screenwriter- Andrew Berzins, who indicated that this story had been passed around for possibly centuries in the oral tradition and this was just one more possible version. So much of Western Civilization's history has come to us written down by Christian men and as such carries a certain bias. This is simply a GOOD story told with some interesting twists, fantastic landscape, and superlative acting. Provides an excellent forum to think about what does the heroic myth really refer to, and maybe we should rethink the concept of pairs of opposites-good/evil, black/white, innocent/guilty, beauty/ugliness, sane/insane.. I have a feeling that someday mankind will figure out that we are actually both sides at different times and respect that in each other. Very thought provoking movie that I hope to see in my neighborhood theater soon!