Before he directed "Alien Nation" with James Caan, Graham Baker helmed the first feature-length film about the legendary Danish warrior of antiquity named Beowulf. Appropriately entitled "Beowulf," this estimated $3.5 million medieval fantasy adventure set in the distant but undetermined future after a presumed apocalypse generates an adequate amount suspense and action. People who have perused the poem and passionate about it will probably revile this actioneer with a techno-musical soundtrack. Audiences that don't care about liberties being taken with venerable literary material may have a greater appreciation for this low-brow but entertaining spin on the classic. Nothing in the way of modern conveniences remains, and everybody dresses in leather or lace as if they lived in the 8th century. Basically, you've got "Mad Max" clashing with "Excalibur." The weapons reflect the influence of an advanced society, and Hrothgar's unique castle is eye-catching. Leading man Christopher Lambert of the "Highlander" franchise appears on horseback with a peroxide blond coiffure. He is a warrior who knows a thing or two about combat. Cast as the eponymous hero, Lambert benefits from a memorable entrance into the action. He rides up to a perimeter established by an opposing kingdom as these brutes are about to cut a poor woman in two pieces. The site of a giant chopping table with a huge straight-razor poised over it gives you some idea what to expect from this swashbuckler. Lambert plays the pugnacious hero with his usual taciturnity and gimlet-eyed expressions. Surely, somebody stunted for Lambert because I don't for a moment believe that he could execute all those elaborate back-flips. After he slays a score of warriors, Beowulf convinces the opposition to release the poor girl who fled from the castle allow him passage so he can visit King Hrothgar (Oliver Cotton of "Firefox") and help him with his monstrous problem. Hrothgar's daughter Kyra (Rhona Mitra of "Underworld 3") looks pretty fetching in those tight outfits. As Grendal's mother, Layla Roberts is just as seductive and her transformation scene during the finale is worth checking out. Future "Tomorrow Never Dies" Bond villain Götz Otto plays the stalwart Roland who wields a big sword. A monster prowls 'the Outpost' as Hrothgar calls his castle. Lurid sex works its way into the Mark Leahy & David Chappe screenplay as Grendal's mom appears initially as a succubus to King. Beowulf behaves like a bittersweet hero and rejects Kyra's initial passes. The film replicates events that occurred in the ancient poem. Grendal's severed arm hanging from the ceiling is one such example. Leahy and Chappe depict the demise of Grendel's son and death of his mother, but they didn't have enough dough to depict the encounter with the dragons. I don't think that I have ever seen anybody shove a sword into their victim and twist it with the hilt. "Beowulf" cannot compare with later versions of the Anglo-Saxon poem, but it is superior to the usual run of this stuff.
