Robert Zemeckis -- the director who gave us "Forrest Gump," the "Back to the Future" trilogy and the oddly animated "Polar Express" -- is out with an incredibly visual production called "Beowulf."

Blending one of the oldest tales with a modern-day technological sensibility makes the movie almost as scary as the story was in childhood. The CGI effects are rather good and look better than Zemeckis' "Polar Express" from a visual standpoint. I can't wait to see this in an IMAX format, because, as good as it appears here, it'll be a total mind-expanding experience in an IMAX theater. If you loved the animated graphics of "Sin City," then you'll be more than pleased with what "Beowulf" has to offer.

The monster, Grendel, is almost worth the price of admission alone. With an all-star cast lending their voices, "Beowulf" stars Ray Winstone as the lead character, Beowulf, the warrior who rescues a Danish kingdom ruled by King Hrothgar (voiced by Anthony Hopkins) and his queen, Wealthow (voiced by Robin Wright Penn). The king's warriors have been falling by the wayside because of the wicked and very grotesque demon monster Grendel (voiced by Crispin Glover). Beowulf will battle the monster, but since no weapon can take Grendel down (and here is where things start to get mucky), he'll attack him in the buff. What?

The movie is dramatic in story and fantasy but then wants to go slapstick, and I found myself laughing at some scenes, wondering if I was supposed to be laughing at that moment. There are some obvious cover-up scenes thanks to CGI, which just had me cracking up. Even after he was wounded, having his arm torn off in battle and whimpering home to his mom, I was feeling guilty that I had been laughing just minutes earlier. Beowulf is celebrated for his efforts, being given a sword by Unferth (John Malkovich), so now it's back to serious mode for the moment.

Grendel's mother (voiced by Angelina Jolie) also gets into the nude mode but is a far better sight than Beowulf. For one thing, her feet are shaped like high heels, and she is, after all, Angelina. And how does she seek revenge for her son? First, by attacking the fellow warriors of Beowulf, and second, by seducing Beowulf himself. Women. ...

"Beowulf" pushes the PG-13 rating to the limit here, so I imagine some parents may find the movie a tad risqué for their kids, while some adults may find it a little silly. Then again, if you enjoyed Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, you may like this, not just for the animated effects, but also because of the storyline. It is amazing how they filmed this, creating a digital environment for the actors themselves - computer-generated to be manipulated by the director instructing a person behind the computer where he wants them to be.

Taking the original poem and then enhancing its story to fill the required length of a feature picture deserves to be recognized. Best-selling author Neil Gaiman and Oscar-winning screenwriter Roger Avary ("Pulp Fiction") did a fine job adapting the short story to feature-length status.

Almost like being a bystander to a tripped-out video game, "Beowulf" kept my interest up through most of the movie. Now, I just need to work on where the right time to be serious is as opposed to laughing, so I won't have to feel like a dork the next time.

-- Howie Nave is host/manager of The Improv comedy club inside Harveys and reviews films for seven radio stations throughout Northern California and Nevada, including Sirius Radio. He hosts "Howie's Morning Rush" on Tahoe's KRLT radio, and you can see his film reviews on RSN.



Keepin' it reel:

Now Playing: "Beowulf"

Starring: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman and Angelina Jolie

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sexual material and nudity

Running time: 116 minutes

Howie gives it: 3 out of 5 bagels