Actually, I believe Lewis Carrol's poem, on which this legend is based upon actually said 'Beware the Jabberwocky', which is its full name, here shortened to differentiate it from Terry Gilliam's rather more Python-esque version from 1977.
This, more straightforward TV movie was on The Sy-Fy Channel who it was made for. The other reviewer (so far) did a good job at going into some detail about some aspects about it and I feel that the film doesn't warrant unnecessary repetition.
To say that the entire project is a lacklustre affair is an understatement. On the IMDb its budget was not listed but shoestring immediately comes to mind. Filmed in Bulgaria, usually either in a forest or a quarry, this supposed fairytale about saving a lovely damsel from the creature (it never attacked her, anyway) says remarkably little in quite a long time.
The dialogue is always stilted and often bad,"Guys!!?" in medieval times seems quite a wrong way to address your comrades in arms and is usually delivered with monosyllabic non conviction. People in fear of their lives tend to get a little emotional - it's called adrenaline and here there's none.
Common sense also fails when, for instance, the two brothers who are main characters decide to fight to the death by swords and knives as they cannot decide which of them will finally slay the Jabberwock. Out of an entire village, they're seemably only two of about four that are physically capable to possibly stand up to the monster. Hmmmm.
The Jabberwock lives in a cave. Which is a CGI-d hole at the top of a quarry, which the men climb the face of without ropes. Hmm again. And when nasty old Jabberwock swoops and carries off his prey, we have no idea what he does with them. We presume it eats them, but you'd never know.
Most of the actors look quite bored. The only one that is worth keeping an eye on is the 'damsel', previously mentioned. She, Annabel (a medieval sounding Kacey Barnfield!?) looks quite regal and beautiful and worth saving from most things, I'd say.
The CGI creature itself could be worse. But not in 2011. 1990, maybe.
The final slaying of the beast has a climax that's about as tepid as is possible.
However, one almost redeeming feature was the music which was always suitably rousing, melancholic and soulful. That alone cannot make up for a pretty lame film all round, but if you like your creature flicks, it's up there with the rest of them.
