It was my intention to see this on the 3D IMAX somewhere around my birthday (actually, somewhere around Christmas, but things got in the way) but I’d ultimately left it too late and won’t be making it to any of the remaining showings they have. I’d read in many places that it mightn’t even be worth seeing in any lesser format; luckily, though of course like anything it’ll be better the larger and more luxurious the screen you see it on, I’m glad to say that the visuals are stunning enough to transcend the screen size and number of dimensions they’re viewed in … which is as it should be. I’ve always said a decent movie really shouldn’t have to rely on a specifically grand presentation to make an impact.

I’ve also said, quite recently in fact, that a movie should always try to be a lot more than just pretty pictures, and my greatest fear with this one was that there simply wouldn’t be any real emotional core, like, say, even The Polar Express had at its close – in other words, that it’d ultimately be just another 300.

Though I can’t not give the movie points for the visuals – they’ve really come a long way since The Polar Express – I’m more excited about the two key moments here that I think show Robert Zemeckis still has it in him to convey rich cinematic moments … the moment that Beowulf makes the decision he makes regarding the dragon (hard to get into details without spoiling it – just everything around that key moment about the heart is perfect); and the look between and Wiglaf and Grendel’s mother at the end … just between the two moments, this is more than worth watching for something more than great technowizardry. But it’s pretty much worth it for that, too, even on the small screen. It’s pretty surprisingly sexy, too, not to mention violent.

I’ll have to grab this on DVD some time since the cut I saw today (on Disney’s own UK channel Cinemagic, for shame) was one of the ridiculously shortened cuts with over half an hour missing. If this includes the song “Candle on the Water” then it’s downright criminal – was this song sung in the movie, anyone? It certainly wasn’t in this cut anyway, brings new meaning to the word “butchered” if it’s supposed to be there, lol.

Anyway.

I’ve almost certainly seen this movie before, but probably before my longterm memory kicked in. That this movie’s story is so beautiful, and young Sean Marshall’s performance so brilliant, that it overcomes the deficiencies in the live-action/animation combo effects is really saying something. The songs are fantastic, instantly bring a smile and a tear to my face. And what a supporting cast with Shelley Winters and Mickey Rooney on the sidelines.

Make this one of the first movies your kids see before they become too jaded to forgive the visuals. Or just curl up with a cuddly toy and hot chocolate and be a kid yourself again for a couple of hours. Double bill it with The Iron Giant.

Addendum: Should’ve looked here first, but anyway, the movie’s page on Wikipedia contains info on the different cuts, and “Candle on the Water” was indeed cut for the shorter versions. I’ve really never gone with the idea of Disney as an Evil Empire … but this is seriously seriously wrong Make sure you get the right cut when you watch it … I’m gonna be getting the DVD ASAP and probably giving it 5 stars ‘cos even in this wrecked form it perked my mood immeasurably.