However, I am not sure I’m so keen on the “cool CG cum acting”.

Hahahaha!

For Beowulf:

mrbrown probably means 2nd _CENTURY_ AD, as mentioned by Ptolemy, according to Wikipedia, and not 2nd AD (that’s 100s of years of difference!), which would have been only 3 years away, anyway, from 2nd (year) BC (there is no 0 BC or AD).

It seems that sympathy is encouraged for Grendel here, who did his monstrosities because he was tormented by noise pollution.

Hrothgar is pronounced in the movie, with a silent h.
Anthony Hopkins was great here, yes, but the king was an escapist.

Crispin Glover, who acts as Grendel, was also Marty McFly’s nerdy father, in Robert Zemeckis’ earlier hit trilogy Back to the Future, starring Michael J Fox.

Brangelina (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie) seem to be in trouble getting along these days.
Angelina’s Germanic-sounding accent here was curious.
In this version, Grendel’s mother seems to be portrayed as an invincible kingmaker/breaker & son-maker who lets them die.

And the golden son towards the end, is way cool CG cum acting.
The siege warfare! And the heart!

And what about loyal (or cowardly, depending on your point of view) Wiglaf, whom in another life was Mad Eye Moody of Harry Potter?
Did he, too, fail & fall at the end?