Now that I've witnessed director Robert Zemeckis' latest technical marvel in Imax 3-D, I'm not sure that I'll never want to see the movie again. Seeing it in this particular format was so grand, that I don't want to taint the experience. This isn't to say that Beowulf is perfect, but Imax 3-D is the perfect way to see it. Based on the epic poem (the oldest known text in the English language), this actioned out adaptation was written by Neil Gaiman (the graphic novel mastermind behind Sandman) and Roger Avary (the unsung hero who helped Quentin Tarantino pen Pulp Fiction), and while this film certainly encapsulates the overall spirit of the source material (Gaiman and Avary even fill in a few gaps in interesting fashion), it's more interested in elevating this well known tale into a cinematic thrill ride.

Beowulf tells the story of a hero whose called upon to rid a kingdom of the horrific creature Grendel, a sad, sympathetic creature whose only wish is to live in a world void of the noise made by humans. This stunning achievement was brought to life through motion capture, the same process used in Zemeckis' own Polar Express. For my money, this picture is much more awe inspiring. Some of the characters still look a wee bit lifeless, but their movements are far more fluid. What's more, Beowulf moves like a bullet train and features a slew of breathtaking imagery. The most exhilarating sequence features a fierce battle between Beowulf and a fire breathing dragon.

The cast (featuring the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Crispin Glover, and Brendan Gleeson) is stellar, and each character resembles their human counterpart save for lead Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast, The Departed). The British thespian tears it up in the fearless title role, but the character doesn't much look like the actor providing the voice. A minor quibble I suppose. Ultimately, Beowulf emerges as a stunning technical achievement. As an overall film (and experiment in motion capture), I still enjoyed Monster House somewhat more. That picture had a wonderful human story to match it's striking visuals. Beowulf by comparison is pure adrenalin (think 300 only less violent). I would say, however, this is the most striking film visually to use the motion capture process.

On a final note, it should be duly noted that Beowulf is an adult animated feature. It is PG-13, but far too intense for young viewers. The film offers up a fair share of blood, war carnage, some big time scares, and even a couple of bare backsides. Speaking of nudity, Beowulf features the most ingenius obstructed view nude sequence since Austin Powers. In the end, this is a straight up spectacle. It's exciting, funny, and surprisingly sexy, and if you have the opportunity to experience it in Imax 3-D, that's certainly the way to go.