I recently went to see Beowulf 3D expecting to get those funky multi-coloured specs. What I experienced completely changed my opinion on what I thought of as nothing more than a movie gimick.

The Technology

I've never been a huge fan of 3D movies. As a kid I saw those old black and white movies with my glasses on and while I was impressed at first the novelty quickly wore off. The same can not be said of the Real D technology (See related links for more information on Real D).

When I got to the cinema (I went for those VIP tickets in Movies @ Dundrum, can't recommend them enough for the occasional treat!) the first surprise I got was the glasses. Gone are the cardboard frames and green\red plastic "lenses". What I was given was a pair of what looked like bargain bin sun glasses. The techie in me was instantly intrigued, I still can't see what there is in each lens that lets each eye see a different image to make up the 3D image.

"Fair enough" I thought; let's get one with the show. From the very first moment I was shocked at the quality of the 3D. The film opened with a simple backdrop and then all the letters of Beowulf "flew" in one by one and hung in mid air. I was immediately wowed and it got even better from there.
Every character had a proper "depth" to them and all of the characters on screen really looked like they were "closer" or "further away". A far cry from the old movies where the 3d was the occasional splash of water coming at you from the screen.

The Movie

This is where my opinion takes a down turn. The movie itself was entertaining but if it weren't for the excitement and the realism that the 3D effects added then it would have been a much less enjoyable experience. Ray Winstone has a very distinct accent which completely distracted me throughout the movie and I just never quite "got into" the story. The action scenes were sporadic and disjointed, the characters lacked depth and overall I just felt like something was missing throughout. Over all I just found it very "Flat" despite it's 3D goodness.

Conclusion

I'd recommend you go see it just to experience the 3D, just don't expect an epic movie! Ideally look for something else showing in 3D first!