Take the dreamlike visual artistry of 300, replace the Spartans with Vikings and the Persian Empire with monsters; now you’ve got Robert Zemecki’s Beowulf. I compare the two because Beowulf revitalizes this very dreary holiday season…with outrageous fun. While the film features some truly gory scenes and a jaw dropping disregard for the human body, it still remains a soon-to-be classic in epic cartoon films. Not since the animated Lord of the Rings (1978) has there really been a successful attempt to turn an epic tale into a motion picture. Namely, Beowulf amazes with the gorgeous effects of “Motion Capture” technology. Very few animated films create characters looking this authentic.

Another huge reason this film will be widely appreciated (especially by English students) is simply due to the fact that it offers the Spark Notes version of the classic tale in the most entertaining way possible. People might actually attempt to pretend to have read this story after watching this movie. Monstrous Grendel, played by Crispin Glover, disrupts a celebration of Norse warriors by slaughtering most of them. Dishonored by this, King Hrothgar (Anthony Hopkins) announces gold and glory to anyone who can defeat the monster. Beowulf (Ray Winstone) and his band of warriors travel the sea to face the Giant. Upon defeating him he faces Grendel’s mother (Angelina Jolie), and a Dragon. This is where the strict adherence to the ancient poem differs.

Screenwriters Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary have taken an artistic license with the story and filled in some of the poem’s gaps. The clever way they explain how a normal human man could possibly be capable of ripping the arm off a creature that is able to easily tear men in half is well accomplished. The seductive power of Grendel’s mother is also on display, among other portions of Ms. Jolie’s body. Ultimately Beowulf is the perfect popcorn movie for the holiday season - its dark tone and superb acting make it a great escape for teenagers and adults alike.