Jolie looks monstrous in 3D

Watching a movie at the IMAX is like a trip back to your childhood, when you begged to watch Jaws 3D. Remember that? Luckily, you don't have to wear those flimsy paper glasses anymore...you know the ones, one red eye, one green... used to come in cereal boxes? It's all high-tech these days.

Based on a thousand year old English poem, Beowulf is the tale of a brave warrior, who comes to slay a monster. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Forrest Gump) this colourful, computer animated action film reels you in from the start, (if only because you can't quite believe the podgy 50-something Ray Winstone is standing in front of you with a 3D six-pack. Technology's wonderful these days, isn't it?) Apparently his voice was cast for its gruffness and vulnerability factor, although at times his cockney London accent makes this buffed-up warrior sound like an Eastenders crack-pot, harping on about sea-serpents in the loony bin.

Other stars shining out of their eerie computerized surroundings are Anthony Hopkins as the Danish King, John Malkovich as one of his advisers, and Angelina Jolie as the monster, Grendel's shape-shifting mother. The first two are fantastic, as usual. If you see this movie for Ange alone, however, you might be a tad disappointed. Not only does she spend the majority of her scenes standing still in a tight golden suit, which renders her looking surprisingly like an Academy Award throughout - she also adopts a monotonous tone for every line spoken, which is more annoying than creepy, as intended.

The colours and swooping camera movements here are as impressive as the action scenes - taking us on a journey over rooftops, through windows and out again across valleys, oceans and vast mountain ranges. At times, you might even feel a little motion sickness, gliding along on the back of a dragon, before it tries to bump you off against a cliff wall. (Ouch!) Also worth a mention is the metaphoric "horn"- a golden object of desire, which seems to lure the demon Angelina and her powers. This "horn" is possessed by pretty much every male character throughout the film. Everyone's got it at some point or other. In fact, it seems that having the "horn" is a vital part of this story (ahem).

If you do watch Beowulf, treat yourself and see it in 3D at the IMAX. It throws you heart and soul into the story. With rats running at you, lashings of blood splattering across the screen, and golden coins tumbling out into the audience, it's more like an interactive experience than simply watching a movie. And it's not every day you get to fly with a dragon, here in Dubai.

Star ratings: Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Hellion Glover, Alison Lohman, Angelina Jolie

Beowulf - showing now at the IMAX - Ibn Battuta Mall