"Beowulf" ** (out of four): 21st century technology leaves this Robert Zemeckis adaptation of the old English epic poem sadly lacking in poetry.

Robert Zemeckis just can't help himself. The man who brought us “Back to the Future” and “Forrest Gump” loves technology. Whether it's splicing Tom Hanks into stock footage or cutting a hole in Meryl Streep in 1992’s "Death Becomes Her", the director has never been shy about his special effects. After turning his 2004 animated spectacle "The Polar Express" into an IMAX 3D release, he goes full bore with "Beowulf", a fully animated 3D adaptation of the old English epic poem. Like the splashy, colorful mess that was “Back to the Future Part II”, "Beowulf" goes for visual chaos at the expense of story.

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