Zemeckis back in the driver's seat

Published on November 15, 2007

Beowulf

Cast: Ray Winstone, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Crispin Glover, Robin Wright Penn, John Malkovich

Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Running time: 113 minutes

Hanuman rating: HHHH

In 1988 he made "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", packed with superb content and a bold storyline about murder and sleaze in the land of cartoons.

But a fateful collaboration with Spielberg for three "Back to the Future" flicks broke his momentum.

While the "Future" series was profitable, it reduced Zemeckis to lightweight status.

In fact, it's only with "Beowulf" that Zemeckis has finally been able to break away from this miserable partnership, and shine on his own.

 Counted among the more boring mediocre flicks he made with Spielberg are "Castaway" and "Polar Express", which few people bothered to go and see.

But his last epic of note was "Contact" with Jodie Foster (1997), probably one of the most beautiful science-fiction films ever made.

Likewise "Beowulf" offers a feast of animated sequences that defy belief. No doubt about it, this sword and sorcery epic is one of the year's more spectacular movies.

Zemeckis has assembled a terrific cast headed by Ray Winstone as the warrior who battles two horrific demons in a tale that's been borrowed from an Old English poem.

Winstone caught cinema goers' eyes last year as Jack Nicholson's violent henchman Mr French in "The Departed". Considering that the film was packed with superstars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen, the fact that Winstone stood out demonstrates a screen presence that shouldn't be underrated.

While some viewers may complain this version of "Beowulf" takes liberties with the original characters to spice things up, most will be thankful that at least it's not pitifully predictable or lacklustre.

With Spielberg now busy producing films directed by Michael Bay, Zemeckis should continue his move away from losing propositions before he gets too old to make any more movies.