I was fortunate enough this evening to catch a show of Beowulf in 3D and I must say the look of the film was remarkable. The CG work in the film was truly breathtaking and it was designed preposterously well around the fact that it was going to be a 3D film.
I really liked the film overall. I was really into it.
The story was interesting and well written. The voice talent was beyond comparison. The directing was fantastic.
But this motion-capture technology leaves... something to be desired.
There are some that say that this is the future of film, but I think that would be a sad day. I think that Robert Zemeckis could have made this film a blockbuster the size of which hasn't been seen since the release of Return of the King if he'd made it live-action but, as is, I don't think this will break away into the stratosphere. Maybe it will, perhaps I'm wrong. It just seems to me that the movie can stand on it's own (it is really good) but all they want to sell is the gimmick.
I know Zemeckis can handle complicated physical effects films. He directed one of the best and most complicated personally (That's the shining masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit? for those of you slow on the uptake). Why didn't he take up that mantle once again for this film?
I just think this motion capture animation stuff is going to end up the same way the original 3D did in the first place. It was a short-lived gimmick. That's not to say that 3D films won't survive. The 3D system they have now is second-to-none in my opinion and I'd pay lots of money to finally see Star Wars movies in that process. Or other more traditionally animated films in 3D. It's just that this motion capture stuff is getting old.
Almost as old as the goddamn advertisements at the beginning of the movie. And I wish I could punch the guy who's idea it was for the 3 Doors Down National Guard video right in the balls.
(Despite my complaints about the motion capture animation, I just wanted to let everyone know that I really did like the movie quite a bit, more than I thought I was going to.)
1 comment:
Im surprised you liked it even that much. This film has been getting such different variations in reviews.. its really weird. Many people detest the idea of a 3D movie, yet it looked absolutely stunning on screen. Because this is what I do, I create 3d models, texture them, light them, create scenes... I have never been able to watch the final rendered version IN 3D... that was amazing. You dont see that every day. There were effects in that film that you have no idea how hard they are to do. Saw one review today saying that Sony needs to hire new blood to do their 3d work.. that stuff is HARD. The ending scene with Beowulf on the beach laying down.. his face awash with grit and dirt.. omg guys... *I* dont even know how they pulled that one off. Making things look dirty, closeup is hard.
Yes, *some* of the animation isnt up to par. But thats because they rushed the film. I met someone who was actually working on it during summer.. and they had to struggle just to get a trailer up by August for ComicCon and SIGGRAPH. To think that only months later they had the entire film? Wow... Yet again.. its the fault of hollywood pushing stuff out too fast that is the problem. Give those artists some more time and they could fix the bulk of the animation issues.
All in all pretty good, I enjoyed it. Will probably see it again.
-Jess
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