Well, that motion-capture animation has certainly made strides since "The Polar Express."

Beowulf, for the most part, looks amazing.

The dragon fight at the end of the film was breathtaking, and writers Neil Gaman and Roger Avary did a pretty good job adapting the story for the big screen, inconsistencies from the source aside.

Interestingly enough, it's Beowulf whose character is technically flawed, as, among the main characters Anthony Hopkins' and Angelina Jolie's are very photorealistic. It's Beowulf and John Malkovich's Unferth who look the most plastic, though that changes from scene to scene.

Grendel (Crispin Glover) is a truly disturbing character who is given quite a bit of pathos as a simple, pained soul who is manipulated by his mother (Jolie).

I was a little surprised to see people bringing their younger children to see this. There was quite a bit of (virtual) nudity (and a little suggestive language) and lots of gore (though much of it is done in quick-cut style or realized as we see shadows of what's happening).

But this is certainly a film worth seeing. Check it out on the big screen.