"While both stories swim out of the same gene pool, our approach to Beowulf & Grendel is quite different from the treatment of LOTR. We're not so much interested in illustrating the hero-myth that the poem, Beowulf has inspired, as to look at it from a modern perspective. Our hero is a complex character, aware of and somewhat burdened by the hero myth that surrounds him. Our Grendel is a character with human emotions and motivations. He's big, fast, cunning and angry, but he has his reasons for seeking vengence from Hrothgar, which Beowulf uncovers in the course of the story. From a filmmaking perspective, this is not a fantasy film. It's brutal, human, funny and made entirely without visual effects. I hope it appeals to LOTR fans, as well as filmgoers who appreciate a more elemental approach to storytelling."

"I had no idea how captivating Gunnarsson’s film would be, from the bewitching scenery which rivals the astonishing New Zealand landscapes of the “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, to the outstanding cast of actors, especially Sigurdsson, who is more poignant with his howls and garbled attempts at human speech than many Hollywood actors.

But what pleased me most was the complicated retelling of Beowulf, replete with the intricacies of revenge, right and retribution. What the film does best is to show how violence begets violence, how one ruthless or thoughtless act of cruelty can bear bloody fruit for generations. “Beowulf & Grendel” isn’t just about a man and a troll, it’s about the fallacy that evil can be conquered by the sword."

--Theresa Hogue, "The Entertainer", Corvallis Gazette-Times