As a son of a norseman, I have to say I'll see this movie, but I won't like it - the minute I heard it was CGI it ruined it for me - I was hoping LOTR plus Sin City or something... 
The edda is the way to go (though pretty thick - but a new translation is coming out that looks really good from the excerpts).

If you want to see a good attempt, see "Beowolf and Grendel".  A great movie that is fairly close to the tale with a really nice twist. If you get the DVD see the extra scenes and the directors comments.

Are you guys kidding me?

Do your selves a favor.  But a ticket to Beowulf in IMAX 3D.  See the movie.  Be amazed. 

Good Story.  Great Action.  And an amazing spectacle of Motion Capture CGI Cinematics.

Ahk, why would a dwarf influence your decisions to see a movie?  He only gets a 30 second spot anyways and it is in context.

As much as it deviated from the actual poem, it still had a point. 

That even heroes have flaws.  Many throughout the movie would deny that Beowulf was a fake, no matter how much Beowulf said he was. 

But I see your point.  The movie took over 40 computer design artists to create just the hair and clothing of the characters.  JUST HAIR AND CLOTHING.  If you imagine the cost it would take to create such a spectacle and realize the risk one would take by "staying true" to the poem, you get that funny little equation that is a function of Hollywood.  Sure it sells out the real story, but maybe our education system could be better in implementing it into our curriculum. 

Considering the stuff I read while in school, I am not surprised that Hollywood is made up of such crap.  However, I still value the meaning behind it.  I understand because I am a man.  Plus, you can't knock it till you try it. So your presumptions can only be validated if you actually SEE the movie. 

The movie writers don't.  A lot of it really comes down to what the suits think, and that's where the original story gets ruined. 

As a sci-fi/fantasy fan, I always find this to be the essential problem when it comes to making these movies.  It is impossible to get a well-done blockbuster that stays true to the original stories when so much is spent on the movie magic that makes the movies so believable in the first place.   And then to make up those huge production costs for the speacial effects, you have the suits looking at the risk at the box office and want to make sure that it appeals to all audiences not just the nerds like me.  I have only seen a few succesful renditions that stay true to the stories essence like LOTR, Dune, (which was a flop) and the Star Trek series. 

Only a few gems have been able to meld classic storytelling and amazing speacial effects with A-List stars.  It's how the business goes I guess.  I really wish that hollywood would stand up for the true stories and help bring a movie that can encompass all the greatness in a story.  The only way that can change is if people change and I have very small hope for that. 

This is why most good indie films are all dramas and none even try to dangle the concept of sci fi/fantasy because once big production budgets come into the equation, the suits get nervous and the greatness must be dumbed down.  Beowulf was semy dumbed down because I know Zemeckis, who always does this, will threaten studios toward the end of production to keep certain things that are essential "to their vision."    And they can't do anythign but comply.