I was interested to see this as it sounded so intriguing and although it does achieve to some degree (with the help of the vast Icelandic terrain) I think overall it falls somewhat short of its potential. I was still entertained but my appetite was whetted for more of the mythology based plotlines - it seemed to meander a bit in the middle. I craved for some big, ugly monsters. I suppose it was a case of being accurate to the original epic poem - kudos for that. It wasn't as violent as advertised (I didn't think) and character development could have been superior, but its biggest plus was the environment, costumes and performances - it really did capture a realistic visage of the six century - I thought (although, did they use the F-word back then?). Perhaps my expectations were escalated by the description and I've been jaded by overblown Hollywood-esq tales of heroes and villains. To its credit, the production didn't utilize CGI based special effects. By no means do I think this is a poor film, but I think it could have really achieved to a huge niche following if certain plot points were accentuated and developed - almost giving birth to a new genre. Nevertheless, Beowulf and Grendel can keep you entertained with its visuals and suspense.