The saying "even heroes fall for beauty" applies just as well to the Western world; Beowulf is precisely a story about a hero succumbing to temptation.
The story revolves around Denmark in 507 AD. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) becomes a hero after killing the monster Grendel (Crispin Glover) for the aging King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins). Before dying, Grendel reveals Beowulf's name to his water-demon mother (Angelina Jolie), hoping she will avenge him. Naturally, the water demon does not let Beowulf off easily; however, when Beowulf returns as a hero to dispatch her, she seduces him with power, fame, and beauty. Ultimately, instead of killing her, he fathers a son with her and ascends to the throne. Years later, the son he had with the water demon appears, seeking to kill Beowulf.
The plot is a simple hero-battles-monster narrative. Although elements of love and hate were added, they failed to significantly strengthen the dramatic impact. Fortunately, the film's computer animation, combined with IMAX 3D effects, provides a thrilling and tense viewing experience that increases the film's appeal. On the other hand, although this is a CGI film, director Robert Zemeckis has drawn from his experience with The Polar Express three years ago, doing an excellent and lifelike job with the performance capture. Aside from Angelina Jolie's stunningly attractive water demon, John Malkovich is outstanding as Unferth, truly bringing this petty character to life.