Just finished watching the part where he fights the first monster (dont know its name) and he basically just lets it kill his friends and stands there doing nothing (literally watching the thing hold his friend in the air and just bite his face of.) It makes him come of as a bit of a wank er only concerned with his own personal glory. Anyway else agree ?
Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.
That was kind of the point.
I call movies that are considered 'bad' hated movies.
Beowulf, while infact a great warrior by time he does battle with the Grendel, hes still only a man with all the flaws that comes with being one, and as for those others, they weren't his crew, nor were they his men if I remember correctly, but merely other warriors who answered the kings call, I could be wrong, but thats my assumption.
shareThey were Beowulf's men and traveled with him. They knew the risks of seeking glory with Beowulf. That is why they followed him. But yeah he didn't try to stop Grendel from biting the bald man's head off. He wanted to look cool and present himself by standing there.
He is a hero but a flawed glory-seeking one with not an ounce of humility.
Me fail English? But, that's unpossible.
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In the original poem, he does something similar, simply watching his men fight Grendel in order to study it. That's what they were going for in that part of the movie. Yes, it's stupid, but it'd be even more stupid for Beowulf to explain this while the movie was going on.
Welcome to my Nightmare- Freddy Krueger
> the point
> your head
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I didn't like the Godfather, so what?
I noticed that too actually.
shareThe main message is that the truth of the real story is much different than the legend because the story has been embellished over the years. Some people like the OP point out that Beowulf isn't a genuine hero, but this isn't true. He's a bold warrior who takes on the gargantuan and intimidating (not to mention UGLY) Grendel NAKED and somehow defeats him! He then goes on to lead a mighty Nordic kingdom for decades to come. If this isn't heroic, what is? Okay, so he exaggerates his past exploits and has a weakness for women, what else is new?
There are several secondary morals, like how new political leaders tend to make the same mistakes as past political leaders, so new leaders should be careful or they'll experience the same pitfalls.
But there's more, way more.
That's a lot of it, yes, but I would say that the film is ultimately presenting us with someone who made a bad choice and instead of stopping evil for the greater good, he was seduced by the promises of that evil: promises of glory and power, and he was seduced. So, while Beowulf was heroic (defeating a monster, ruling a kingdom), he wasn't a "hero" because he betrayed himself by his actions in the cave, and later on was seen having affairs and overseeing "slaughters" (as opposed to battles).
shareI like the distinguishing between heroic and hero, although I think Beowulf becomes a hero at the end.
Here are some other insights:
- Apart from redemption, the "sins of the fathers" will cast a pall over the family/community and eventually come back to bite 'em (literally!).
- Even the greatest amongst us are human and have serious flaws.
- Deal with your past mistakes (sins) or the guilt & shame will drain the life from you and your environment; it'll also make you wish you were dead.
- Offer a man unlimited power, wealth and fame and he'll likely go for it no matter the cost, selling his soul to the devil, so to speak.
- Men are easily entranced by a beautiful woman, regardless of how obviously impure her intentions.
- The importance of saying you're sorry and forgiving; the importance and ultimate triumph of love.
A few questions: Why is the dragon one-and-the-same as a noble-looking gold-skinned man? Does this signify he's a cross between malevolent blood and noble blood (mother and father respectively)? Is the golden man his spiritual side and the dragon his dark side? Obviously.
Although Beowulf laments that there are no heroes in the new Christian era, only "weeping martyrs," ironically he goes on to be a type of Christ by sacrificing himself for the people of his kingdom (the world) by slaying the dragon (the devil). According to the Bible, all things were created thru Christ, which would include the angel Lucifer, who later became Satan. Likewise Beowulf's offspring in the movie is ultimately revealed as a hideous dragon even while the ending reveals him to be the noble golden man underneath all that diabolic horror.
All human types of Christ are flawed because humans are flawed, even “heroes” like Beowulf which, again, is one of the main points of the film. Hence, Beowulf's perception about "weeping martyrs" is faulty and can be attributed to his fallen condition when making the statement. Later, he rises out of the ashes to slay the dragon and sacrifice himself for the people. Right before doing this he declares his love for his wife and asks her to forgive him for his past failings.
I think you basically nailed most of the major themes and ideas of the film with the (possible) exception of that last bullet point. I think the film does emphasize the importance of love, but does love ultimately triumph here? I never thought that was part of the film, and while I wouldn't say "hate wins", I feel like the film is pointing out that the "good side" could have won a lot sooner and more decisively had Beowulf (and Hrothgar) acted more selflessly.
I would also add that the film says that allowing evil in is what breeds and brings monsters - that they are of our own making when we allow ourselves to compromise moral truth for selfish ambition.
My stabs at answers:
The demons seem to be shapeshifters. In reflections, Grendel's mother is far more monstrous than she presents herself. She uses the word "glamour" to mean Beowulf's aura of reputation, but that's also a word for faerie magic that creates a beautiful, entrancing illusion. Grendel shrinks and the Dragon turns into a man. Maybe this is their part-human origins, but I think it's that they can change form (at least, to an extent).
Symbolically, yes, it might be his spirit or essence. I think the symbolism, though, is also of freedom. Beowulf has finally thrown off his self-wrought curse, and the Dragon is kind of free, too. Beowulf looks at a golden version of himself (Ray Winstone, both roles), and sees his potential realised in his "son".
I started another thread contrasting Beowulf to Christ, too. Christ is tempted by Satan with a similar offer that Beowulf receives, but Christ refuses it. Beowulf's problems are also "pagan hero" problems. Christianity would have asked him to set aside his ego, lust, and worldly ambition and committed to the task of demon slaying (literal or metaphorical), and had he not been driven by the flesh, he wouldn't have dug his own grave.
Good stuff! I'll give it a fresh viewing next week and see what I can get from it.
share