The story of Beowulf is probably best known as That Super-Long Poem You Read Once in High School, but its influence on modern storytelling can’t be overstated. The epic is the original hero’s journey. It’s one of the oldest recorded adventures ever, and it’s inspired countless pillars of pop culture. We wouldn’t have Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, or even superheroes without Beowulf. Traces of the epic poem are everywhere, but adapting the story itself, for an audience around a thousand years removed from its context, is easier said than done.
Though there haven’t been many recent attempts, the 2000s were rife with efforts. Three unrelated films were released within five years, the most infamous being a gonzo CGI film directed by Robert Zemeckis. The 2007 movie’s surreal motion capture effects were a step up from the nightmare fuel of The Polar Express, and even 17 years later, its video game-like quality remains memorable. But Zemeckis and his screenwriters got a bit of flack for... well, everything else.
