Wednesday, 27 September 2017

Unconvincing Voices: A Film Review.

I’m currently watching the 2005 live action version of Beowulf and Grendel (not to be confused with the more famous CGI version made some time in the 90s.)

The icy, gale-swept Scandinavian locations are excellent, but I’m afraid that’s about the only plaudit I can offer so far. Stellan Skarsgard (one of my favourite actors) seems wasted in the ineffectual role of King Hrothgar, and the action sequences are but typically formulaic, choreographed, actors-playing-at-heroes-with-big-shiny-swords stuff. What really bugs me, though, are the accents.

The fisherman on the beach in Dane Land has a Lancashire accent. The King of Dane Land has a Scandinavian accent. The local witch has an Irish accent. Beowulf himself, who has arrived from a place in modern day Sweden, has a Scottish accent. I wish they’d be a bit more bloody diligent about consistency in the matter of accents!

But I haven’t watched the whole film yet so there might be more, but probably not.

(Sorry this is a boring post. The more interesting one about Abi, Bella and Ash isn’t finished yet, and probably won’t be because I imagine some people will make entirely unfounded judgements. Bad blog day, yes.)

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