Beowulf (PG-13, 2007)

common sense media says

Violent animated adventure is no kiddie movie.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this adventure is animated, it's not aimed at kids. Some people may misinterpret the fact that it was created by the same filmmakers responsible for The Polar Express as an automatic thumbs-up for kids. But the considerable violence and sexual innuendo are comparable to the content of popular live-action flick 300. As those familiar with the ancient epic poem the movie is based on know, Beowulf defeats the monstrous Grendel ... but not before Grendel kills a lot of innocent people in disgusting, harrowing ways. The violence includes dismemberment, impalement, bashed heads, people being eaten alive, and more. Animated or not, it can be hard to watch (even more so in 3D, an option that some theaters are offering).

Positive messages: The message seems to be that men are all-too-easily seduced by beauty and the promise of power.
Violence: Grendel -- a disturbing, oozing, pus-filled sight in and of himself -- kills mostly at random. He impales victims, snaps necks, rips off heads and eats them, tears people in two, throws men into fires, squishes heads, etc. Most of the violence is fast, but there's still a great deal of it. Beowulf dismembers Grendel's arm after a long hand-to-hand battle. Grendel's mother kills almost an entire group of warriors, who are shown as shadowy, bloody figures hanging from ceiling beams. Beowulf battles an angry, murderous dragon. Beowulf's army slaughters its enemies on the battlefield.
Sex: Lots of sexual innuendo and partial nudity (it's animated, but the animation is very realistic). Beowulf strips completely naked in preparation to fight Grendel. Various people and items conveniently obscure his genitals, but his bare buttocks are shown several times during the fight. The drunk king wears a robe that half falls off; a buxom woman's cleavage is shown heaving and jiggling. Later she's propositioned by one of Beowulf's warriors, who says things like "my loins are burning" and that he won't be quiet when he comes. A bare-shouldered woman and soldier share a sleeping bag. The king demands his queen produce an heir; Beowulf has a younger mistress in addition to his wife. Grendel's mom can take the form of a gorgeous woman (Angelina Jolie) who emerges dripping wet and naked from the water.
Language: Milder than the rest of the film: "damn," "hell," etc.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The Danes and their visiting mercenaries drink a lot of mead in the mead hall. Some men are so drunk that they pass out on the table.

More on Beowulf

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about whether it's confusing for filmmakers to make and market an animated movie that's so violent and clearly not targeted to kids? Also, does the fact that the animation is so realistic make the violence more upsetting? Why or why not? Why do people tend to react differently to live-action mayhem than they do to similar content that's animated?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Based on the epic poem, Robert Zemeckis' motion-capture action adventure follows the heroic exploits of Beowulf (Ray WinstoneAnthony Hopkins) get rid of a murderous demon cursing his people. After disposing of the grotesque, pus-oozing Grendel (Crispin Glover) in a (literally) naked battle of hand-to-hand combat, Beowulf learns that the monster has an even more dangerous, shape-shifting mother (Angelina Jolie). Beowulf's hubris as a warrior is evident from his first appearance on screen. But every hero has an Achilles' heel, and Beowulf's is apparently a beautiful woman -- the perfectly cast Jolie -- who promises him wealth and power beyond imagination. Beowulf isn't the first warrior to give into her, and he probably won't be the last, either, since she's seemingly invincible when nude and dripping wet (her feet even take the form of stilettos).

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Once you get past BEOWULF's slightly creepy, ultra-realistic depiction of actors as animated figures, there's no denying that this film is entertaining. Improving on the revolutionary technology he used in The Polar Express, Zemeckis's film is an awe-inspiring achievement in animation. It's also in no way a film for kids, even if that's the first thought that many moviegoers might have when they see animated characters. The action is as bloody as anything Quentin Tarantino could conjure up.

Yet, for all of the movie's sweeping action and impressive technology, there's still something substantially more heart-quickening about flesh-and-blood action. Sure, then audiences wouldn't get to see Grendel squish as many heads and eat as many people (at least not in a PG-13 fashion), but there would've been an extra sense of excitement and not as many unintended laughs.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 113 minutes
Theatrical release: November 15, 2007
DVD release: February 25, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sexual material and nudity.
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This review was written by Sandie Angulo Chen
 
 

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What parents & educators say

15

Most useful reviews by all members

campcott4
kid, 13 years old
 
Always great, always violent.
Great fantasy flick about brave warrior fighting evil demons, monsters and creatures. This is a great movie but anyone 10 and under can't see this movie.

will_turner
teen, 14 years old
 
GORE!
brilliant movie but way too gory. beowulf rips out a dragons heart and isreally graphical. quite funny though in the cinima. when grendel wakes up and screams i jumped out of my seat! good for 13+ but in england it should be a 15 and a R in usa.

BeenieLad
kid, 9 years old
 

Wild Man
kid, 12 years old
 
good movie but very violent

alexa kell
kid, 13 years old
 
so much blood and gore
i saw this when i was 8 (maybe 9). it was the first bloody movie that i had seen. and now it still is the most bloddy movie ive seen. (well maybe not i saw 30 days of night). even in the first 20 minutes theres gallons of blood because the grendle dude comes and he rips peaple in half and then pours the blood out of them. he chucks people at the cieling, steps on them, and throws them at spikes (remeber, all in 20 min.) then i kinda remeber angie jolie like all sexy and stuff. and then beowulf rips off his arm so he can stick it in the dragons body and rip out the heart. so beowulf dies at the end. should be rated r though because of all the blood. after i wacthed it my dad was like "wow i dont remeber it being so bloody."

wolfman117
parent of 14 year old
 
Perfect!
The best Robert Zemekis movie yet! Even though it's filled with moderate violence and sexual material, it seems alot better than the epic poem! If you want a perfect action movie, then Beowulf is the movie for you! My kids loved this movie, and they said if they were registered for this site, they would gie it 5/5 too!

GoodSSJ
parent of 12 year old
 
Edgy For A PG-13
This Movie Is Too Edgy For A PG-13 Rating Because There's One Scene Where Grendel's Mother Appears Completely Nude and That Scene Is Super Hot!This Should Have Got a R Rating

spacechick22
teen, 15 years old
 
Should have been rated R!
We watched this in class after reading the book so that we could compare and contrast. It was nothing like the book and as I was watching I couldn't believe that it was rated PG-13! I have a strong stomach, but all the blood was making me queasy. There was also a lot of nudity. Should have been rated R.

 
To see or not to see?
The movie Beowulf is not a well developed movie because stories like this have been told so many times before. The film starts out in a castle, Beowulf then comes to slay Grendel.When Beowulf slays Grendel it is supposed to be serious but end stead Beowulf jumping around naked. And each jump he did there was something covering his private area. Everyone in my class was laughing. In the poem however Beowulf is in a serious battle with clothes on. I don’t understand why the movie would change that. Beowulf’s character was shown as a tall muscular man with blond hair. He looked similar to how the poem described him. Then king Rothgar was always drunk. Each seen he was drunk. But in the poem he was not drunk. Also Grendel’s mom looked like a tall naked woman with gold goo dripping off her body. As for the poem they describe her as a monster. Grendel looked like a human that was very huge and dirty. He really didn’t look like a monster. He almost looked funny. But in the poem they describe Grendel as this monster…I mean he was a monster but not what I expected. This movie reminded me of the “Polar Express” because the graphics and animations were very similar. Although the story of the “Polar Express” is nothing like Beowulf the animations are very much the same. They both have that almost clay look to them. This movie also reminded me of “Power rangers” because they both have played out battle scenes. As well as having the same basic concept of here defeating villain. The animation in this film is ok. The actors almost don’t look like humans…they have this sort of clay look and there bodies look flawless. There isn’t one pimple or scratch on them. Almost as if someone took a smudge tool and blurred all there imperfections. The music in this movie is very old fashioned. I just thought it would have been fun if they added some of the top ten songs! If they did it would have made the movie a lot more interesting. The film is lacking what the book had. The book was serious and scary, while the movie was funny and not scary. This film however does relate to present day life, it shows how people think and how immature and perverted the world has become. Sometimes I think they made this film this way so that people of the modern world would be able to understand and relate to a old piece of literature. Had they of kept everything the same…people may not have understood it. Although they had reasons for doing what they did, I still think they failed at it. They could have made this movie so much better. So all in all if you must see the film go ahead if you wish. But let me just warn you that if you don’t like played out boring movies you will not like Beowulf. Keep your money and buy the book end stead if you like but just don’t see the film. And if you do go to see it bring a depressing book so you won’t laugh and make a fool out of the film.

web_design16030
parent of 4 year old
 
It maybe good movie but not for kids
I've seen this film couple of times already, and though it's animated, it's definitely not for kids. There were violent scenes, even the concept of the story is not appropriate for kids. It may be a good film but it is definitely not appropriate for kids. Web Design Singapore Web Design

JamesRobertson
parent of and 7 , 11 , 14 , 17 year old
 

starwars reviewer
kid, 13 years old
 
Come one folks! It's a good movie!
Ok, first, Angelina Jolie naked. SHE'S NOT! One, it's CGI and even in the film, she is wearing gold! Thin gold, I grant you, but gold! That counts! It really does! Besides the 1999 version of Beowulf really DID have a nude woman as the same character! This is tame compared to that! Another thing is the comparison to the book. I read the book. It was more gory and sexy than this movie will ever be! A true fan of ancient literature would love this film! At times, the characters do look like puppets, and this may take some of the emotion away, but this is still a story! I say that kids can hadle it, or at least mature ones, give it a chance! Do not forget to discuss the film with them!

Spielberg00
teen, 14 years old
 
NOT FOR KIDS.
My rating: R for graphic animated violence/blood/gore, some nudity, alcohol use and a brief use of innuendo.

 
The movie is not good for children..if watching parents should be on guidance. Singapore Virtual Office Virtual Office Singapore Virtual Office

Reuben M. Spry
teen, 15 years old
 
Pervy Gore-Fest Nothing Like the Poem
To be honest with you, I hated this movie. I enjoyed the poem, but this is just a pervy, animated, gore-fest version! This is one of the most graphic, disturbing films I have ever seen and I would not recommend to anyone under 14.

 
Not good the kids but they can watch it with parents. *ripplewerkz* *ripplewerkz*/singapore-web-design.php

Web Marketing
parent of 2 year old
 
I find this site very interesting and informative. Rule #1: NEVER leave kids unquided when watching violent movies or never have them watch it in the first place!!!! Appreciate the information. Keep us updated. Thanks. Internet Marketing Web Marketing

 
Guide your kids watching film like this
Beowulf is an epic poem so do expect violence and nudity on the film. Even though it shown some explicit violence, the story went well and directly delivered the poem itself. Professional SEO Website Optimization

CollegeGirl_Ki ...
parent of 8 and 14 year old
 
PG-13? A joke. And nothing like the Book.
The animation was breath taking--beautiful. I admired it, but having read the book in high school and my first year in college, I have to say "oh my goodness..." The story is like a well animated fan movie in which someone who read the book said "this is how it really should have gone." All I have to say about that is--at least they got the names correct. The movie is horribly violent (but the book was, too--based on an ancient European legend). Definately not for children, definately should NOT have been rated PG-13 for obvious reasons (Should have been rated R for violence if nothing else). However, in the book, "Grendel's Mother" was not beautiful nor did she look like a naked human. Gheese...men and their movies... I do not recommend this movie to young teenagers, people who are squeamish, or anyone who truly loved the original story and message, which was more along the lines of "prides goes before a fall."

singapore_web_ ...
parent of 17 year old
 
not so good
they are good! Singapore Virtual Office Virtual Office Singapore Virtual Office

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