Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale), accompanied by David (Theo James), reluctantly accepts an invitation to the Eastern Coven from Alexia (Daisy Head). The legendary Death Dealer is hunted by Lycans and vampires. Marius (Tobias Menzies), the new leader of the Lycans, is obsessed with capturing Selene’s daughter, Eve for her pure hybrid blood. On the other side, the vampires “signed” Selene’s death warrant, seeking retribution for Viktor’s (Bill Nighy) death. 

At the Eastern Coven, a council member named Semira (Lara Pulver), supported by Thomas (Charles Dance), and Varga (Bradley James), the head trainer for the Death Dealers, asks for Selene’s help. Cassius (James Faulkner), the leader of the council for the Eastern Coven, doesn’t trust Selene, but he eventually accepts Thomas and Semira’s proposal for clemency, Selene agrees to train the Death Dealers to prepare for Marius’ impending invasion, but Semira has other plans.

Thomas urges Selene and David to go to the Nordic Coven in Var Dohr. Selene and David are welcomed by Lena (Clementine Nicholson), and Vidar (Peter Andersson), the elder of the Nordic Coven. Vidar reveals truths about David’s past, and the identity of his mother, and Selene learns about the Nordic Coven’s sacred ritual. 

A secret ally from the Eastern Coven helps Marius, as he prepares to launch his attack on the vampires. Meanwhile, dissension and power struggles threatens the vampire’s chances of survival. Can Selene save the Eastern Coven and defeat Marius?

My Thoughts- “Leave me alone!”

Three surprising words coming from Selene, when she’s cornered and restrained by a group of Lycans. We’re talking about the fierce and scrappy Death Dealer, who never backs down from a fight, but things are different in Blood Wars. Michael is still missing. Selene’s own daughter wants nothing to do with her. Eve is the sole reason why Marius wants to capture Selene, and Selene unfortunately finds out about the crippling effects from Nightshade poisoning. On top of that, the vampires won’t be satisfied until they have Selene’s head on a silver platter. Selene is justifiably burnt out on the war. She’s clearly depressed, and it’s safe to say Selene is way past her breaking point here.

Selene loses the fire that’s necessary to fight, and towards the end, she loses the will to live. Her daughter disappears, death, betrayal, and carrying the burden of being an outcast amongst her own people. Selene goes through a lot in Blood Wars, one big road block after another. Kate Beckinsale delivers another solid and resilient  performance, showing more emotions for a character, who’s understandably struggling and broken. 

Lara Pulver nails Semira. Before Semira reveals her plans for Selene, it’s obvious something is off about her. She’s phony, devious, and Semira is obsessed with power. Semira is also a sensual character, using seduction as a manipulation tactic, a strategy that comes with mixed results. She’s not conflicted about what she’s doing. Semira fiercely and coldly goes after what she wants, with an arrogant smile on her face, and Pulver is an excellent addition to the cast.

Marius is coming! Blood Wars puts a lot of effort into building up Marius’ mystique. He is the greatest threat to the vampire race’s existence, because “there’s never been a Marius.” That’s what they want you to believe, but there’s still something off about Marius. 

No complaints about Tobias Menzies’ performance, and I understand Marius is supposed to be a disciplined, ruthless, and focused tactician. He demands civility from his fellow Lycans, ruling with a strong iron fist, but going by Blood Wars’ standards, Marius is supposed to be the be-all and end-all for Lycan/werewolf villains and leaders. That’s how Marius is presented, but if we’re comparing Marius to Lycan/werewolf adversaries from the past, can we really say he’s more imposing or frightening than Lucian, Raze, William, Dr. Jacob Lane, or Quint? I can’t answer that question with a resounding yes, so that’s a big problem. 

Blood Wars hits the home stretch, and there’s a lot to talk about. David finds out Amelia is his mother. David has pure blood heritage, AND he’s the rightful heir to the Eastern Coven! A cool moment, when David comes to his senses and accepts his place in the vampire hierarchy, taking a special sword crafted by Thomas, infused with silver, and David charges into the battle at Var Dohr. 

Selene’s death after Marius (with some help from Alexia) kills her? Eh, I understand what they were going for. Selene hit rock bottom. She’s exhausted for a number of reasons, but I didn’t buy it for one second. 

When Lena explained the journey to The Sacred World (aka Valissa), while she performed the Nordic Coven’s ritual on someone else, you knew what was coming at some point. Lena performs the ritual on Selene, a resurrected Selene gets another big boost for her powers, she’ll make a “perfect timing” return during the big final battle to even the odds against the Lycans, and that’s exactly what happens. Visually, it’s a few tweaks for Selene’s look, with the white Nordic coat, and the blonde streaks in her hair. Selene’s new power-up also includes super speed! 

Sensible one on one pairings during the final battle at the Eastern Coven, because it’s Selene vs Marius and David vs Semira. David gets his revenge for Semira murdering Thomas. Kind of a funny moment, when David rams his sword through the back of Semira’s head, because Semira was basking in the glory of being able to stand in the sunlight, without burning to death, after stealing Selene’s blood.

Personally, I was hoping Selene would square off against Semira, because they’re both connected to Viktor for another big story. Semira wanted to break and kill Selene, and she nearly succeeded. Semira is still bitter and holding a grudge against Selene. In the past, Semira was Viktor’s regent, but when Selene arrived, Semira was tossed aside by Viktor in favor of Selene. She was sent to Var Dohr, where she, in her own words, was forced to live with a bunch of  “peace-loving cowards.”

But I guess you could say Selene vs Marius needed to happen. They teased the fight throughout the movie, the two strongest characters going up against each other. To add to that, it’s revealed that Marius bled Michael Corvin dry, killed him, and Marius continuously injected himself with Michael’s blood to increase his strength. So in the end, Selene had her own valid reasons for wanting revenge.

A good ending to the fight between Marius and Selene, when Selene bites herself to use her blood memories of Michael and Eve for the emotional kick that she needs to kill Marius. And there’s a good gory visual, when Selene rips out Marius’ spine. 

But there’s something I don’t understand about Marius using Michael’s blood. Marius is obsessed with finding Eve, because her hybrid blood could end the war….but he already had Michael’s blood, and Michael is a hybrid? Is Eve’s status as a “pure blood” hybrid the big difference? They never made an attempt to explain the details for tipping the scales in Marius’ favor, if pure hybrid blood is a game changer for his plans. And that’s how you close Michael Corvin’s chapter? Killing him off in blood memory flashbacks with a different actor? Come on man.

I didn’t understand the point behind the secret romance between Alexia and Marius, with Alexia being the traitor and Marius’ inside woman, because Alexia believes Semira is too power- hungry and dangerous. Well, Alexia is right about that. Semira is a slimy sociopath, but Marius really didn’t need her help. He manhandled Selene before Alexia stabbed Selene in the back with her sword, and Marius had a huge army of Lycans at his disposal. 

I kind of get the feeling they just wanted to shoehorn another forbidden love story between a vampire and a Lycan into the movie. But Alexia sneaking around with Marius falls short, if we’re comparing their relationship to Selene and Michael, or Lucian and Sonja. Marius and Alexia’s transactional romance feels forced, and there’s way too many moving parts in the story, so they didn’t have enough time to focus on Marius and Alexia’s shenanigans. 

Still, Blood Wars ends with a solid finale. A big full circle moment of redemption for Selene, when Selene, David, and Lena are all chosen as the new elders. And to close out the movie, Selene reunites with Eve (played by a stand-in) at Var Dohr. Imagine that, the pariah and the disgraced Death Dealer is now an elder. A surprising storybook ending that works on so many levels, because Selene deserved all of it. 

Also, if we’re talking about full circle moments, it’s hard to forget about Thomas fighting to the death against Semira and Varga. In Awakening, Thomas was disgusted by Selene. He willingly gave Eve to the Lycans as a gift. But Thomas, with David’s help, freed Selene, and he basically sacrificed himself, giving David a window to escape with an incapacitated Selene.

Underworld had a consistent streak for maintaining continuity, so what happened here? Going back to Underworld: Awakening, the existence of vampires and Lycans was exposed. The humans launched a purge or a cleansing, targeting both species. Vampires were living underground, and Lycans were supposedly on the brink of extinction. 

Selene tore through Antigen in Awakening. She killed A LOT  of Lycans, so why do the Lycans have a base of operations that’s located out in the open at a railway yard? Why are the vampires at the Eastern Coven living an unbothered life of luxury, complete with fancy parties? Yes, the Eastern Coven is supposed to be a fortress. I get it, but important plot points from Awakening are completely ignored, and there’s no dancing around it. 

Eve hates Selene now? Selene and Eve had a bad falling out. That’s obvious, but it’s a really weird shift after Eve and Selene had a strong bonding experience in Awakening, complete with both characters holding hands during the closing moments. 

The vampires want justice for Viktor’s death. Okay, but what about Markus? Selene murdered Markus in Evolution, but they never mentioned his name here. Selene killing TWO vampire elders is supposed to be a big deal, so essentially erasing Markus was kind of a weird choice. 

Five films in, and William still takes the top spot for the best wolf form/design for final boss werewolves. Marius transformation? He’s big, towering over Selene, and Marius retains some of his human features in his werewolf form. Yes, it’s another big change for the main villain, but this one didn’t do anything for me. It’s another form that heavily relies on special effects, and when you see the close-up shots, it just looks really bad.

A pair of women are apart of Marius’ clan. One woman clearly works on the armory and all the tech stuff, but she only has a few lines of forgettable dialogue. Maybe it’s just me, but I wish they would’ve done more with their characters. Make a bigger deal out of women joining the ranks of Lycans, because it’s almost to the point, where they’re just background extras, and it’s easy to forget about them (their characters also don’t have names), as the story progresses. 

The decision to go with two villains has its setbacks. Occasionally, Blood Wars feels like two movies in one. Marius and Semira’s stories could’ve stood on their own for two separate films, because there’s more than enough material for their characters. Both outcomes for the final battle at the Eastern Coven fixes some of the problems, but Blood Wars teeters on the edge for a story that’s too much of a jumbled mess. 

Switching to some positives for Blood Wars, I’ve always been a big fan of Var Dohr, and everything about the Nordic Coven. Underworld digs into its rich lore to introduce a vampire coven that’s noticeably different. The Eastern Coven is a lavish coven, full of egos, petty in-fighting, and everything is darker, including the decor and the wardrobes. 

The Nordic Coven? White is the color of choice. It’s not so much a representation of good vs evil, or light vs the darkness.  White fits perfectly with the Nordic Coven, because it’s a peaceful coven, where all the vampires work together as a unit. Vidar is a calmer and more enlightened leader, and you’ll see similar character traits in Lena. The Nordic Coven, isolated deep in a frigid location, works as a refreshing setting for Underworld. There’s something oddly cozy about Var Dohr and the Nordic Coven’s ancient and rustic style, a quiet castle forgotten by time, filled with vampires, who are ready to fight, when the situation calls for it. 

Blood Wars has its problems. A useless and unnecessary secret relationship between a vampire and a Lycan, the story has a fair amount of holes, and the conclusion for Michael Corvin is too weak and disappointing. 

There’s more absurdity in Blood Wars. One moment that’s hard to forget about happens during the final battle. Marius and David, eyes locked, are slowly walking towards each other, they’re shooting nonstop, and every bullet hits. It gets better, because they push the bullets out of themselves, with big growling roars. I know it’s not the reaction they were going for, but I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Blood Wars mostly redeems itself with a satisfying conclusion. Lara Pulver, James Faulkner, Clementine Nicholson, and Peter Andersson are all good additions to the cast. And Varga has a punchable face, so a big thumbs up for Bradley James’ performance, as Semira’s smarmy and pompous lackey. Blood Wars also introduces something new for the Death Dealers. The rookie Death Dealers have a hi-tech training facility, equipped with moving holograms of werewolves for target practice!

The fight scenes and the action sequences are hit-and-miss. Overall, Blood Wars lacks the previously established electric pulse, and the spark for fast-paced and stylish action scenes. Still, I can pick out a few good ones, including the one on one fights with Marius and Selene, and David vs Semira. The battle at Var Dohr is another good choice. It’s Lycans and their machine guns going up against the Nordic vampire’s shields, swords, and crossbows, a bizarre battle, but it works.

We’re inching towards ten years since Blood Wars was released. Is this it for Underworld? The final adventure for Selene? Blood Wars wasn’t set up, or presented as the grand finale for Underworld, but you won’t see any cliffhangers here, and they closed a lot of open loops. David establishes himself as a stronger and more confident character. The identity of David’s mother is revealed. Selene hits another higher level of power, and Selene gets the big reunion she was looking for, after surviving one tough hurdle after another. And Blood Wars ends with the selection of THREE new vampire elders!

Blood Wars is a flawed film. You could say it’s the weakest entry in the series, but Selene’s story finally comes full circle. She gets the big happy ending after enduring a hellish series of events, and there’s a sense of relief for Selene during the final moments of the movie. It’s a mostly complete ending, if Blood Wars is the final chapter in Selene’s journey. Blood Wars actually gives fans closure, even if things weren’t intended to go that way. In the end, if Blood Wars winds up being the last stop for Selene, you can safely say she was more than ready to finally ride off into the sunset. 

Rating- 5/10

Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale), accompanied by David (Theo James), reluctantly accepts an invitation to the Eastern Coven from Alexia (Daisy Head). The legendary Death Dealer is hunted by Lycans and vampires. Marius (Tobias Menzies), the new leader of the Lycans, is obsessed with capturing Selene’s daughter, Eve for her pure hybrid blood. On the other side, the vampires “signed” Selene’s death warrant, seeking retribution for Viktor’s (Bill Nighy) death. 

At the Eastern Coven, a council member named Semira (Lara Pulver), supported by Thomas (Charles Dance), and Varga (Bradley James), the head trainer for the Death Dealers, asks for Selene’s help. Cassius (James Faulkner), the leader of the council for the Eastern Coven, doesn’t trust Selene, but he eventually accepts Thomas and Semira’s proposal for clemency, Selene agrees to train the Death Dealers to prepare for Marius’ impending invasion, but Semira has other plans.

Thomas urges Selene and David to go to the Nordic Coven in Var Dohr. Selene and David are welcomed by Lena (Clementine Nicholson), and Vidar (Peter Andersson), the elder of the Nordic Coven. Vidar reveals truths about David’s past, and the identity of his mother, and Selene learns about the Nordic Coven’s sacred ritual. 

A secret ally from the Eastern Coven helps Marius, as he prepares to launch his attack on the vampires. Meanwhile, dissension and power struggles threatens the vampire’s chances of survival. Can Selene save the Eastern Coven and defeat Marius?

My Thoughts- “Leave me alone!”

Three surprising words coming from Selene, when she’s cornered and restrained by a group of Lycans. We’re talking about the fierce and scrappy Death Dealer, who never backs down from a fight, but things are different in Blood Wars. Michael is still missing. Selene’s own daughter wants nothing to do with her. Eve is the sole reason why Marius wants to capture Selene, and Selene unfortunately finds out about the crippling effects from Nightshade poisoning. On top of that, the vampires won’t be satisfied until they have Selene’s head on a silver platter. Selene is justifiably burnt out on the war. She’s clearly depressed, and it’s safe to say Selene is way past her breaking point here.

Selene loses the fire that’s necessary to fight, and towards the end, she loses the will to live. Her daughter disappears, death, betrayal, and carrying the burden of being an outcast amongst her own people. Selene goes through a lot in Blood Wars, one big road block after another. Kate Beckinsale delivers another solid and resilient  performance, showing more emotions for a character, who’s understandably struggling and broken. 

Lara Pulver nails Semira. Before Semira reveals her plans for Selene, it’s obvious something is off about her. She’s phony, devious, and Semira is obsessed with power. Semira is also a sensual character, using seduction as a manipulation tactic, a strategy that comes with mixed results. She’s not conflicted about what she’s doing. Semira fiercely and coldly goes after what she wants, with an arrogant smile on her face, and Pulver is an excellent addition to the cast.

Marius is coming! Blood Wars puts a lot of effort into building up Marius’ mystique. He is the greatest threat to the vampire race’s existence, because “there’s never been a Marius.” That’s what they want you to believe, but there’s still something off about Marius. 

No complaints about Tobias Menzies’ performance, and I understand Marius is supposed to be a disciplined, ruthless, and focused tactician. He demands civility from his fellow Lycans, ruling with a strong iron fist, but going by Blood Wars’ standards, Marius is supposed to be the be-all and end-all for Lycan/werewolf villains and leaders. That’s how Marius is presented, but if we’re comparing Marius to Lycan/werewolf adversaries from the past, can we really say he’s more imposing or frightening than Lucian, Raze, William, Dr. Jacob Lane, or Quint? I can’t answer that question with a resounding yes, so that’s a big problem. 

Underworld had a consistent streak for maintaining continuity, so what happened here? Going back to Underworld: Awakening, the existence of vampires and Lycans was exposed. The humans launched a purge or a cleansing, targeting both species. Vampires were living underground, and Lycans were supposedly on the brink of extinction. 

Selene tore through Antigen in Awakening. She killed A LOT  of Lycans, so why do the Lycans have a base of operations that’s located out in the open at a railway yard? Why are the vampires at the Eastern Coven living an unbothered life of luxury, complete with fancy parties? Yes, the Eastern Coven is supposed to be a fortress. I get it, but important plot points from Awakening are completely ignored, and there’s no dancing around it. 

Eve hates Selene now? Selene and Eve had a bad falling out. That’s obvious, but it’s a really weird shift after Eve and Selene had a strong bonding experience in Awakening, complete with both characters holding hands during the closing moments. 

The vampires want justice for Viktor’s death. Okay, but what about Markus? Selene murdered Markus in Evolution, but they never mentioned his name here. Selene killing TWO vampire elders is supposed to be a big deal, so essentially erasing Markus was kind of a weird choice. 

Five films in, and William still takes the top spot for the best wolf form/design for final boss werewolves. Marius transformation? He’s big, towering over Selene, and Marius retains some of his human features in his werewolf form. Yes, it’s another big change for the main villain, but this one didn’t do anything for me. It’s another form that heavily relies on special effects, and when you see the close-up shots, it just looks really bad.

A pair of women are apart of Marius’ clan. One woman clearly works on the armory and all the tech stuff, but she only has a few lines of forgettable dialogue. Maybe it’s just me, but I wish they would’ve done more with their characters. Make a bigger deal out of women joining the ranks of Lycans, because it’s almost to the point, where they’re just background extras, and it’s easy to forget about them (their characters also don’t have names), as the story progresses. 

The decision to go with two villains has its setbacks. Occasionally, Blood Wars feels like two movies in one. Marius and Semira’s stories could’ve stood on their own for two separate films, because there’s more than enough material for their characters. Both outcomes for the final battle at the Eastern Coven fixes some of the problems, but Blood Wars teeters on the edge for a story that’s too much of a jumbled mess. 

Switching to some positives for Blood Wars, I’ve always been a big fan of Var Dohr, and everything about the Nordic Coven. Underworld digs into its rich lore to introduce a vampire coven that’s noticeably different. The Eastern Coven is a lavish coven, full of egos, petty in-fighting, and everything is darker, including the decor and the wardrobes. 

The Nordic Coven? White is the color of choice. It’s not so much a representation of good vs evil, or light vs the darkness.  White fits perfectly with the Nordic Coven, because it’s a peaceful coven, where all the vampires work together as a unit. Vidar is a calmer and more enlightened leader, and you’ll see similar character traits in Lena. The Nordic Coven, isolated deep in a frigid location, works as a refreshing setting for Underworld. There’s something oddly cozy about Var Dohr and the Nordic Coven’s ancient and rustic style, a quiet castle forgotten by time, filled with vampires, who are ready to fight, when the situation calls for it. 

Blood Wars has its problems. A useless and unnecessary secret relationship between a vampire and a Lycan, the story has a fair amount of holes, and the conclusion for Michael Corvin is too weak and disappointing. 

There’s more absurdity in Blood Wars. One moment that’s hard to forget about happens during the final battle. Marius and David, eyes locked, are slowly walking towards each other, they’re shooting nonstop, and every bullet hits. It gets better, because they push the bullets out of themselves, with big growling roars. I know it’s not the reaction they were going for, but I couldn’t stop laughing. 

Blood Wars mostly redeems itself with a satisfying conclusion. Lara Pulver, James Faulkner, Clementine Nicholson, and Peter Andersson are all good additions to the cast. And Varga has a punchable face, so a big thumbs up for Bradley James’ performance, as Semira’s smarmy and pompous lackey. Blood Wars also introduces something new for the Death Dealers. The rookie Death Dealers have a hi-tech training facility, equipped with moving holograms of werewolves for target practice!

The fight scenes and the action sequences are hit-and-miss. Overall, Blood Wars lacks the previously established electric pulse, and the spark for fast-paced and stylish action scenes. Still, I can pick out a few good ones, including the one on one fights with Marius and Selene, and David vs Semira. The battle at Var Dohr is another good choice. It’s Lycans and their machine guns going up against the Nordic vampire’s shields, swords, and crossbows, a bizarre battle, but it works.

We’re inching towards ten years since Blood Wars was released. Is this it for Underworld? The final adventure for Selene? Blood Wars wasn’t set up, or presented as the grand finale for Underworld, but you won’t see any cliffhangers here, and they closed a lot of open loops. David establishes himself as a stronger and more confident character. The identity of David’s mother is revealed. Selene hits another higher level of power, and Selene gets the big reunion she was looking for, after surviving one tough hurdle after another. And Blood Wars ends with the selection of THREE new vampire elders!

Blood Wars is a flawed film. You could say it’s the weakest entry in the series, but Selene’s story finally comes full circle. She gets the big happy ending after enduring a hellish series of events, and there’s a sense of relief for Selene during the final moments of the movie. It’s a mostly complete ending, if Blood Wars is the final chapter in Selene’s journey. Blood Wars actually gives fans closure, even if things weren’t intended to go that way. In the end, if Blood Wars winds up being the last stop for Selene, you can safely say she was more than ready to finally ride off into the sunset. 

Rating- 5/10

Underworld: Awakening (2012)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Following the events of Underworld: Evolution, a purge carried out by humans threatens to exterminate all vampires and Lycans, after the existence of both species is exposed. With a limited number of options in front of them, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) rushes to escape with Michael Corvin, so they can go into hiding, but the duo is ambushed by soldiers at the docks. 

Twelve years later, Selene is awakened from her cryogenic chamber. Confused and angry, Selene’s quest for the truth leads her to Antigen, a sinister corporation focused on targeting and killing off vampires. Led by Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea), Antigen and Lane obsessively pursues Selene’s hybrid daughter, Eve (India Eisley).

David (Theo James), a vampire and the son of an elder, pushes back against his father, Thomas’ (Charles Dance) warnings about trusting Selene. David and Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy) fight side by side with Selene during a dangerous rescue mission to save Eve. The battle plunges further into chaos, when Selene is forced to face off against Dr. Lane’s son, Quint (Kris Holden-Ried), who transforms into his Super-Lycan form…..

My Thoughts- Selene is back, and she is PISSED! Awakening starts off with a bang, as Selene pummels the purge soldiers. Fast forward twelve years later, and she immediately tears through everyone in her path, after she bursts out the cryo chamber. From past to present, Awakening instantly jumps into a hot start during Selene’s rampage, continuing Underworld’s streak for opening action sequences filled with chaos and bloody violence. 

Selene is dealing with a lot in Awakening. Michael, the only man Selene has ever loved, is MIA, she was frozen for twelve years, and Selene finds out she has a daughter. Heavy stuff! Selene and Eve have an unusual bonding experience. Selene comes off as being kind of selfish, when she first meets Eve. Selene is clearly more concerned about Michael’s whereabouts, and she’s treating Eve like an afterthought.

But Selene reaches a point, where she realizes she needs to be a mother for Eve. She has to protect her daughter, and there’s more of a continued push towards a vulnerable version of Selene here. The “my heart is not cold…..it’s broken” scene with Eve is a good example for Selene showing more emotions. And the scene, where Selene breaks down from the memories of the purge soldier’s surprise attack at the docks. 

Plus, Selene and Eve can see through each other’s eyes! Eve and Selene share synchronized brainwaves, if they’re close enough to each other, and seeing how things unfolded, it’s clear this is one ability, or superpower that’s exclusively shared between Selene, Eve, and Michael as a family. 

Eve is good addition to the cast. Yes, she has the rarity of being another hybrid character, but Eve is also a child. India Eisely delivers a solid performance, and they took the right approach to the hybrid side of Eve’s character. Eisely smoothly switches gears from the confused and scared little girl, who finds herself in an unprecedented and dangerous situation, to the fierce and powerful hybrid, who’s capable of flipping the switch to tap into her powers, when she’s backed into a corner.

Awakening is the first Underworld film, where Viktor doesn’t play a major role in the current storyline, or through flashbacks related to what’s going on in the movie. Charles Dance fills the role of the prudish and stubborn vampire elder. As the ruler of a coven and a leader, Thomas is determined to preserve what’s left of his coven. He’s the guy, who feels the need to condemn Selene for being the disgraced Death Dealer, who fell in love with a Lycan, and murdered two vampire elders. Because someone has to do it, right?

Theo James’ David is a fighter and a rebel. James’ performance works on two different levels. Yes, you could say David is defiant and reckless, but he also knows he’s fighting the good fight for all the right reasons. He’s not afraid to stand up to his father, and he’s firmly against the vampires turning their backs on Selene. 

I have mixed feelings on the villains. Dr. Jacob Lane? Eh, I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s anything wrong with Stephen Rea’s performance, but there’s no denying Lane is a boring and dull character. I get it. Lane is the obsessive and heartless mad scientist, who wants to create a master race of Lycans. He also doesn’t see Eve as a human being. To Lane, Eve is just a highly valuable test subject, or an asset, who needs to be dissected to further his research. Yeah, he’s a dick, but nothing truly stands out about him. You know he’s the bad guy, you know Selene has to stop him, but that’s about it.

Quint and his SUPER-LYCAN form? So I understand the need to introduce a mighty and powerful adversary for Selene. Remember, this is Selene with the Corvinus strain, after she drank Alexander Corvinus’ blood. She has enhanced powers, and Selene basically tears through the opposition in Awakening with ease, so she needs a real challenge. 

Quint having the ability to transform into his Super-Lycan form, complete with an immunity to silver and accelerated healing, almost solves the problem, but it’s a form that heavily relies on special effects. The difference in sizes between Selene and the Super-Lycan provides a few awe-inspiring visuals, but overall, it’s a form that just doesn’t look good at all. It’s too fake and goofy, especially the close-up shots of the Super-Lycan’s face, and it’s safe to say William’s hulking form as the first-ever werewolf in Awakening was far more intimidating.

Problems with the Super-Lycan form aside, Kris Holden-Ried plays a solid villiain. Good facial expressions, the way he carries himself, and it’s easy to believe Quint is a psycho, who won’t stop until his father’s mission is complete. To take things further, Quint would’ve been better off as the main villain here. I understand Dr. Lane’s role as the brains of the operation, but Holden-Reid was more than capable of holding his own in the leading role as the top villain. 

Selene and Eve’s mother/daughter story gets off to a rocky start, but Awakening also tells the tales of two different father/son relationships. David rebels against Thomas, because Thomas chooses to stay underground. Thomas is more concerned with survival, but David wants to fight back against the humans and the Lycans. He challenges his father to become the man, who used to get his hands dirty, while fighting the tough battles. 

Quint, like a brainwashed zombie, blindly follows his father’s marching orders. Dr. Lane is obviously a very bitter man. Quint’s mother made the decision to avoid turning into a Lycan, and Lane uses her choice as a manipulation tactic against Quint. It’s strange how Quint allows Lane to shoot him up with all kinds of injections, because as a Super-Lycan, he could easily kill him. But Quint is loyal to Lane, so he chooses to be another one of his father’s test subjects. 

Awakening maintains continuity from the previous films. Selene is still an outcast amongst the majority of vampires. Being a hybrid is still frowned upon, and Eve is referred to as a “blight of nature.” Of course, the big one is the world after Alexander Corvinus’ death. Remember, in Evolution, Corvinus led a secret team that was tasked with cleaning up the mess in an attempt to contain the war between vampires and Lycans. With Corvinus gone, the humans launched an ugly cleansing campaign against both species, because no one was around to sweep all the dirt under the rug. 

Selene defeats the Super-Lycan! Selene’s final battle with Quint was a good one. I never believed Selene was in any real danger, but there’s more than enough thrills and tight close calls during the David vs Goliath-esque struggle. Also, two big thumbs up for Selene outsmarting Quint. She couldn’t outmuscle the Super-Lycan, so Selene used Qunit’s size and accelerated healing abilities against him. 

Eve killing Dr. Lane was the right call. Dr. Lane froze Eve’s parents. He destroyed any chances of Eve having a real childhood, while forcing her to live the life of a lab rat, so Eve’s vengeance was justified. Also, I wasn’t fan of the character, but at least Dr. Lane’s werewolf form actually looks good. It’s a cross between Lane simply being an elderly man, and having the look of a wild feral beast. His entire body isn’t covered in hair, and Lane’s bloody and disfigured face (courtesy of a shotgun blast from David), was a nice touch.

The ending shows Selene, Eve, and David on the roof together, after Michael finally escapes his chamber. Antigen, the corporation run by and populated with Lycans, that secretly launched a mission to kill off all vampires, is no more. Going forward, it’s clear the objective is to search for and find Michael, so he can reunite with Selene and Eve as a family. A happy ending for Selene, as she swears to “reclaim” the world for the vampire race, while fighting against the humans and the Lycans. 

The Michael Corvin problem? Scott Speedman only appears in flashbacks from the first two films. A stand-in covers Michael’s brief appearances here, and it’s just not the same. Michael is a crucial character in Selene’s story. I know Michael needs to be here, and they tried to keep things short for his screen time, but it’s an obvious big change that’s impossible to ignore. 

Awakening could’ve benefited from a stronger lead villain, and I really wish they would’ve done more with the targeted “cleansing” of vampires and Lycans. Before the story shifts to focusing on protecting and rescuing Eve, Awakening made some good attempts at realism, with news footage from the purge, including dragging vampires out into the sunlight, and using silver nitrate gas against Lycans. 

Warning signs posted about reporting infected individuals, war in the streets, and burning buildings. You can see the chaos, and the drastic lifestyle changes for vampires and Lycans. Vampires were forced into hiding, while Lycans were pushed to the brink of extinction after a failed uprising. And certain groups of sick, starving, and diseased Lycans live underground like “rats.”

Four films in, and Awakening continues to deliver fast-paced and bloody action sequences. I’ll go as far saying Awakening is the shinning example for the highest levels of action that you’d expect from an Underworld film. It’s an adrenaline rush from start to finish, ending with the mother/daughter duo of Selene and Eve taking on the top two villains.

Underworld’s story adds more layers, and Selene’s character continues to evolve, because she’s a mother now. A handful of welcoming new additions to the cast, including India Eisley, Theo James, and Charles Dance. Michael Ealy brings a solid performance to the cast, as the steely-eyed detective with a heavy heart, because Detective Sebastian was directly affected by a vampire attack. 

Awakening also leans into a more absurd tone. You’ll see more than one of Selene’s signature superhero landings. Authentic teeth from vampires and Lycans are available for purchase, and Selene starts a rusty van with a knife! Selene throwing a poor Antigen scientist (Wes Bentley) out of a window, and calmly landing on the ground next to his mangled corpse on top of a car, also sticks out as a hilarious moment for me. 

And I can’t forget about a stoic Selene calmly walking through the courtyard at Antigen, while the security guards are shooting at her. The courtyard scene towards the end definitely plays into the trope that a lot of bad guys are just terrible at shooting guns, especially when there’s a wide open target in front of them.

Underworld: Awakening’s one hour and twenty-eight minutes runtime flys by. Another good mindless fun action/horror flick in the series, with a little more meat on the bones for emotional depth. I didn’t care too much for all the scenes with tons of CGI blood (Quint’s death is a big one for me), but Awakening still features some cool visuals. Selene storming Antigen’s headquarters, and blasting away at Lycans in the dark, while particles from the silver nitrate bombs are floating around in the air, is easily one of my favorites. 

But the Michael Corvin situation is a glaring issue. I said it before, but Michael is a big part of Selene’s story and her journey. The solution for this problem in Blood Wars? Well, it’s a disappointment, but I guess you could say it’s still a solution, that definitively slams the door shut on Michael’s future. 

Rating- 7/10

Underworld: Awakening (2012)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This review contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Following the events of Underworld: Evolution, a purge carried out by humans threatens to exterminate all vampires and Lycans, after the existence of both species is exposed. With a limited number of options in front of them, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) rushes to escape with Michael Corvin, so they can go into hiding, but the duo is ambushed by soldiers at the docks. 

Twelve years later, Selene is awakened from her cryogenic chamber. Confused and angry, Selene’s quest for the truth leads her to Antigen, a sinister corporation focused on targeting and killing off vampires. Led by Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea), Antigen and Lane obsessively pursues Selene’s hybrid daughter, Eve (India Eisley).

David (Theo James), a vampire and the son of an elder, pushes back against his father, Thomas’ (Charles Dance) warnings about trusting Selene. David and Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy) fight side by side with Selene during a dangerous rescue mission to save Eve. The battle plunges further into chaos, when Selene is forced to face off against Dr. Lane’s son, Quint (Kris Holden-Ried), who transforms into his Super-Lycan form……

My Thoughts- Selene is back, and she is PISSED! Awakening starts off with a bang, as Selene pummels the purge soldiers. Fast forward twelve years later, and she immediately tears through everyone in her path, after she bursts out the cryo chamber. From past to present, Awakening instantly jumps into a hot start during Selene’s rampage, continuing Underworld’s streak for opening action sequences filled with chaos and bloody violence. 

Selene is dealing with a lot in Awakening. Michael, the only man Selene has ever loved, is MIA, she was frozen for twelve years, and Selene finds out she has a daughter. Heavy stuff! Selene and Eve have an unusual bonding experience. Selene comes off as being kind of selfish, when she first meets Eve. Selene is clearly more concerned about Michael’s whereabouts, and she’s treating Eve like an afterthought.

But Selene reaches a point, where she realizes she needs to be a mother for Eve. She has to protect her daughter, and there’s more of a continued push towards a vulnerable version of Selene here. The “my heart is not cold…..it’s broken” scene with Eve is a good example for Selene showing more emotions. And the scene, where Selene breaks down from the memories of the purge soldier’s surprise attack at the docks. 

Plus, Selene and Eve can see through each other’s eyes! Eve and Selene share synchronized brainwaves, if they’re close enough to each other, and seeing how things unfolded, it’s clear this is one ability, or superpower that’s exclusively shared between Selene, Eve, and Michael as a family. 

Eve is good addition to the cast. Yes, she has the rarity of being another hybrid character, but Eve is also a child. India Eisely delivers a solid performance, and they took the right approach to the hybrid side of Eve’s character. Eisely smoothly switches gears from the confused and scared little girl, who finds herself in an unprecedented and dangerous situation, to the fierce and powerful hybrid, who’s capable of flipping the switch to tap into her powers, when she’s backed into a corner.

Awakening is the first Underworld film, where Viktor doesn’t play a major role in the current storyline, or through flashbacks related to what’s going on in the movie. Charles Dance fills the role of the prudish and stubborn vampire elder. As the ruler of a coven and a leader, Thomas is determined to preserve what’s left of his coven. He’s the guy, who feels the need to condemn Selene for being the disgraced Death Dealer, who fell in love with a Lycan, and murdered two vampire elders. Because someone has to do it, right?

Theo James’ David is a fighter and a rebel. James’ performance works on two different levels. Yes, you could say David is defiant and reckless, but he also knows he’s fighting the good fight for all the right reasons. He’s not afraid to stand up to his father, and he’s firmly against the vampires turning their backs on Selene. 

I have mixed feelings on the villains. Dr. Jacob Lane? Eh, I wouldn’t necessarily say there’s anything wrong with Stephen Rea’s performance, but there’s no denying Lane is a boring and dull character. I get it. Lane is the obsessive and heartless mad scientist, who wants to create a master race of Lycans. He also doesn’t see Eve as a human being. To Lane, Eve is just a highly valuable test subject, or an asset, who needs to be dissected to further his research. Yeah, he’s a dick, but nothing truly stands out about him. You know he’s the bad guy, you know Selene has to stop him, but that’s about it.

Quint and his SUPER-LYCAN form? So I understand the need to introduce a mighty and powerful adversary for Selene. Remember, this is Selene with the Corvinus strain, after she drank Alexander Corvinus’ blood. She has enhanced powers, and Selene basically tears through the opposition in Awakening with ease, so she needs a real challenge. 

Quint having the ability to transform into his Super-Lycan form, complete with an immunity to silver and accelerated healing, almost solves the problem, but it’s a form that heavily relies on special effects. The difference in sizes between Selene and the Super-Lycan provides a few awe-inspiring visuals, but overall, it’s a form that just doesn’t look good at all. It’s too fake and goofy, especially the close-up shots of the Super-Lycan’s face, and it’s safe to say William’s hulking form as the first-ever werewolf in Awakening was far more intimidating.

Problems with the Super-Lycan form aside, Kris Holden-Ried plays a solid villiain. Good facial expressions, the way he carries himself, and it’s easy to believe Quint is a psycho, who won’t stop until his father’s mission is complete. To take things further, Quint would’ve been better off as the main villain here. I understand Dr. Lane’s role as the brains of the operation, but Holden-Reid was more than capable of holding his own in the leading role as the top villain. 

Selene and Eve’s mother/daughter story gets off to a rocky start, but Awakening also tells the tales of two different father/son relationships. David rebels against Thomas, because Thomas chooses to stay underground. Thomas is more concerned with survival, but David wants to fight back against the humans and the Lycans. He challenges his father to become the man, who used to get his hands dirty, while fighting the tough battles. 

Quint, like a brainwashed zombie, blindly follows his father’s marching orders. Dr. Lane is obviously a very bitter man. Quint’s mother made the decision to avoid turning into a Lycan, and Lane uses her choice as a manipulation tactic against Quint. It’s strange how Quint allows Lane to shoot him up with all kinds of injections, because as a Super-Lycan, he could easily kill him. But Quint is loyal to Lane, so he chooses to be another one of his father’s test subjects.

Awakening maintains continuity from the previous films. Selene is still an outcast amongst the majority of vampires. Being a hybrid is still frowned upon, and Eve is referred to as a “blight of nature.” Of course, the big one is the world after Alexander Corvinus’ death. Remember, in Evolution, Corvinus led a secret team that was tasked with cleaning up the mess in an attempt to contain the war between vampires and Lycans. With Corvinus gone, the humans launched an ugly cleansing campaign against both species, because no one was around to sweep all the dirt under the rug. 

The Michael Corvin problem? Scott Speedman only appears in flashbacks from the first two films. A stand-in covers Michael’s brief appearances here, and it’s just not the same. Michael is a crucial character in Selene’s story. I know Michael needs to be here, and they tried to keep things short for his screen time, but it’s an obvious big change that’s impossible to ignore. 

Awakening could’ve benefited from a stronger lead villain, and I really wish they would’ve done more with the targeted “cleansing” of vampires and Lycans. Before the story shifts to focusing on protecting and rescuing Eve, Awakening made some good attempts at realism, with news footage from the purge, including dragging vampires out into the sunlight, and using silver nitrate gas against Lycans. 

Warning signs posted about reporting infected individuals, war in the streets, and burning buildings. You can see the chaos, and the drastic lifestyle changes for vampires and Lycans. Vampires were forced into hiding, while Lycans were pushed to the brink of extinction after a failed uprising. And certain groups of sick, starving, and diseased Lycans live underground like “rats.”

Four films in, and Awakening continues to deliver fast-paced and bloody action sequences. I’ll go as far saying Awakening is the shinning example for the highest levels of action that you’d expect from an Underworld film. It’s an adrenaline rush from start to finish, ending with the mother/daughter duo of Selene and Eve taking on the top two villains.

Underworld’s story adds more layers, and Selene’s character continues to evolve, because she’s a mother now. A handful of welcoming new additions to the cast, including India Eisley, Theo James, and Charles Dance. Michael Ealy brings a solid performance to the cast, as the steely-eyed detective with a heavy heart, because Detective Sebastian was directly affected by a vampire attack. 

Awakening also leans into a more absurd tone. You’ll see more than one of Selene’s signature superhero landings. Authentic teeth from vampires and Lycans are available for purchase, and Selene starts a rusty van with a knife! Selene throwing a poor Antigen scientist (Wes Bentley) out of a window, and calmly landing on the ground next to his mangled corpse on top of a car, also sticks out as a hilarious moment for me. 

And I can’t forget about a stoic Selene calmly walking through the courtyard at Antigen, while the security guards are shooting at her. The courtyard scene towards the end definitely plays into the trope that a lot of bad guys are just terrible at shooting guns, especially when there’s a wide open target in front of them.

Underworld: Awakening’s one hour and twenty-eight minutes runtime flys by. Another good mindless fun action/horror flick in the series, with a little more meat on the bones for emotional depth. I didn’t care too much for all the scenes with tons of CGI blood, but Awakening still features some cool visuals. Selene storming Antigen’s headquarters, and blasting away at Lycans in the dark, while particles from the silver nitrate bombs are floating around in the air, is easily one of my favorites. 

But the Michael Corvin situation is a glaring issue. I said it before, but Michael is a big part of Selene’s story and her journey. The solution for this problem in Blood Wars? Well, it’s a disappointment, but I guess you could say it’s still a solution, that definitively slams the door shut on Michael’s future. 

Rating- 7/10

Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Lucian (Michael Sheen), the first-ever Lycan, and the first werewolf born in human form, plans to lead a rebellion against the vampires and Viktor’s (Bill Nighy) coven. Lucian fiercely fights to free his fellow enslaved Lycans from Viktor’s clutches, and Viktor runs into an unexpected problem, when his daughter, Sonja (Rhona Mitra) gets involved. 

Sonja and Lucian’s secret and strictly forbidden relationship unravels, when a suspicious Viktor questions Sonja’s loyalty. Viktor sets a trap, but a resilient Lucian refuses to quit. Supported by Raze (Kevin Grevioux), the Lycan slaves, and other werewolves carrying William’s strain of the infection, Lucian eventually joins the all-out assault on Viktor’s coven.

My Thoughts- Rise Of The Lycans is cleverly constructed for first-timers, and fans of the Underworld series. If you’re new to Underworld, you can still get into it, without knowing everything about the original Underworld or Evolution, because it’s vampires vs werewolves! The Lycan slaves, rising up to fight back against their vampire overlords and oppressors, and Viktor, the mad tyrant, is a story that writes itself.

For fans of the Underworld films? You’ll get to see more fleshed-out versions of Lucian and Viktor’s characters, how the bond between Lucian and Raze started, and you’ll also know Viktor was never misunderstood, because Viktor, the vampire ruler, was always a maniacal asshole and a devious manipulator. Andreas Tanis (Steven Mackintosh)? I guess you could say you’ll see a more dignified and noble version of him, before he was exiled by Selene under Viktor’s orders. But a lot of the familiar character traits for Tanis are still there. You’ll see how the seeds were planted for Tanis’ partnership with Lucian, why Tanis prioritizes “survival,” and Tanis’ is serious about protecting his “precious scrolls.” 

They touched on the dangers of William’s infectious strain of werewolves, and his rampages. Werewolves with William’s strain of the infection are “mindless beasts,” who can’t revert back to their human forms, but it’s just enough to the point, where you know what’s going on, without feeling lost, or having the need to go back and watch Evolution. You can say the same thing about Lucian’s backstory and the explanation for being the first Lycan. It’s all here. Simple, informative, and just enough bits and pieces of information, easily tying everything together.

Sonja? She’s fierce, rebellious, and Sonja will defy Viktor, if her moral compass points her in that direction. Sonja clearly has no interest in Viktor’s vision for her future, because Sonja, in a variety of ways, constantly rejects the path Viktor puts in front of her. And Sonja falls in love with a Lycan! Sound familiar? It’s easy to see and pick up on the parallels between Selene and Sonja. You can also see why Selene reminded Viktor of Sonja, and why Viktor possibly believed he had a second chance at a good father/daughter relationship, because Selene and Sonja are basically carbon copies of each other. 

A lot of mixed feelings for the love story between Sonja and Lucian. The forbidden love storyline is packed with cliches. Sonja is vampire royalty, and the daughter of a powerful and overbearing father. She falls for Lucian, the lowly blacksmith, and of course, Viktor vehemently rejects their relationship. He’s disgusted at the thought of his precious daughter poisoning the bloodline with a filthy Lycan slave. Oh, and of course, Sonja wants to run away from the coven, abandoning a life of royalty, because she’s chasing the happily ever after ending with Lucian. 

But I’ll say this, Michael Sheen and Rhona Mitra share believable and good chemistry together. Sonja and Lucian are genuinely willing to take big risks to protect each other. Hell, they’re willing to die, if it comes to that. Lucian doesn’t have to be tough and scrappy around Sonja, he can be vulnerable. Sonja can just be her normal self, when she’s with Lucian, taking a break from being a hardened warrior, or living up to her father’s high standards, and the pressures that comes with the lifestyle of a future vampire elder. 

Rise Of The Lycans works as a solid and entertaining prequel. The movie still looks and feels like an Underworld movie, and they did a really good job of capturing the medieval era, with the set pieces, the dialogue, the wardrobes for the vampires, the Lycans, and the humans. 

As far as the acting goes, Michael Sheen’s fiery (“ARE YOU WITH ME!”) and emotional performance as Lucian is superb, and Sheen puts a lot of passion into Lucian’s rah-rah speeches. Bill Nighy doesn’t hold back as Viktor, a strong and dedicated performance, as the powerful vampire ruler. The scene, where the council votes on Sonja’s fate is a good one. Viktor has this conflicted wide-eyed expression on his face before he makes his decision. On one hand, you can sense a loving father, who still cares about his daughter, but Viktor’s ego and his pride wouldn’t allow him to do the right thing. Good scene.

Rhona Mitra holds her own well as Sonja, playing the privileged daughter, who’s torn between being loyal to her father and not wanting to abandon the love of her life. And hats off to Larry Rew for his performance. Kosta (Rew) is a sadistic bully, but Lucian makes sure he gets his comeuppance for the brutal and bloody whipping scene.

Rise Of The Lycans features some solid action sequences and one on one sword fights, including Sonja facing off against Viktor. Father vs daughter, in the rain, at night, AND Sonja reveals a big secret? Oh, the drama!

The home stretch delivers on all fronts. I absolutely loved the breakneck speed approach to the big final battle between the werewolves and vampires, because it’s supposed to be a chaotic and bloody mess. Also, Lucian chasing after Viktor for a final showdown delivers some nice thrills, complete with a brutal and gory final blow.

Rise Of The Lycans succeeds as an Underworld film, that shows the early stages of the war between the vampires and the Lycans. The feud between Viktor and Lucian really works as one of the pillars for the story, and you get a better understanding for why Lucian and Viktor hated each other so much. 

Lots of nuggets for Underworld and Evolution throughout the movie, including different characters, the dialogue, visuals, and certain items (e.g. Sonja’s necklace). You can see why Lucian valued Sonja’s necklace, why it means so much to him, and why it’s not just a necklace, that simultaneously works as half of the key to William’s prison.

Also, there’s something that’s almost impossible to ignore about Viktor, and his relationships with Sonja, Selene, and Lucian. The lies, the manipulation tactics, using his own daughter as bait for a trap, and knowing how his relationship with Sonja ended? There’s a pattern for all of it, that leads to two conclusions: Viktor was a shitty father, and a terrible father figure for Selene and Lucian.

Rating-7/10

Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Lucian (Michael Sheen), the first-ever Lycan, and the first werewolf born in human form, plans to lead a rebellion against the vampires and Viktor’s (Bill Nighy) coven. Lucian fiercely fights to free his fellow enslaved Lycans from Viktor’s clutches, and Viktor runs into an unexpected problem, when his daughter, Sonja (Rhona Mitra) gets involved. 

Sonja and Lucian’s secret and strictly forbidden relationship unravels, when a suspicious Viktor questions Sonja’s loyalty. Viktor sets a trap, but a resilient Lucian refuses to quit. Supported by Raze (Kevin Grevioux), the Lycan slaves, and other werewolves carrying William’s strain of the infection, Lucian eventually joins the all-out assault on Viktor’s coven.

My Thoughts- Rise Of The Lycans is cleverly constructed for first-timers, and fans of the Underworld series. If you’re new to Underworld, you can still get into it, without knowing everything about the original Underworld or Evolution, because it’s vampires vs werewolves! The Lycan slaves, rising up to fight back against their vampire overlords and oppressors, and Viktor, the mad tyrant, is a story that writes itself.

For fans of the Underworld films? You’ll get to see more fleshed-out versions of Lucian and Viktor’s characters, how the bond between Lucian and Raze started, and you’ll also know Viktor was never misunderstood, because Viktor, the vampire ruler, was always a maniacal asshole and a devious manipulator. Andreas Tanis (Steven Mackintosh)? I guess you could say you’ll see a more dignified and noble version of him, before he was exiled by Selene under Viktor’s orders. But a lot of the familiar character traits for Tanis are still there. You’ll see how the seeds were planted for Tanis’ partnership with Lucian, why Tanis prioritizes “survival,” and Tanis’ is serious about protecting his “precious scrolls.” 

They touched on the dangers of William’s infectious strain of werewolves, and his rampages. Werewolves with William’s strain of the infection are “mindless beasts,” who can’t revert back to their human forms, but it’s just enough to the point, where you know what’s going on, without feeling lost, or having the need to go back and watch Evolution. You can say the same thing about Lucian’s backstory and the explanation for being the first Lycan. It’s all here. Simple, informative, and just enough bits and pieces of information, easily tying everything together.

Sonja? She’s fierce, rebellious, and Sonja will defy Viktor, if her moral compass points her in that direction. Sonja clearly has no interest in Viktor’s vision for her future, because Sonja, in a variety of ways, constantly rejects the path Viktor puts in front of her. And Sonja falls in love with a Lycan! Sound familiar? It’s easy to see and pick up on the parallels between Selene and Sonja. You can also see why Selene reminded Viktor of Sonja, and why Viktor possibly believed he had a second chance at a good father/daughter relationship, because Selene and Sonja are basically carbon copies of each other. 

A lot of mixed feelings for the love story between Sonja and Lucian. The forbidden love storyline is packed with cliches. Sonja is vampire royalty, and the daughter of a powerful and overbearing father. She falls for Lucian, the lowly blacksmith, and of course, Viktor vehemently rejects their relationship. He’s disgusted at the thought of his precious daughter poisoning the bloodline with a filthy Lycan slave. Oh, and of course, Sonja wants to run away from the coven, abandoning a life of royalty, because she’s chasing the happily ever after ending with Lucian. 

But I’ll say this, Michael Sheen and Rhona Mitra share believable and good chemistry together. Sonja and Lucian are genuinely willing to take big risks to protect each other. Hell, they’re willing to die, if it comes to that. Lucian doesn’t have to be tough and scrappy around Sonja, he can be vulnerable. Sonja can just be her normal self, when she’s with Lucian, taking a break from being a hardened warrior, or living up to her father’s high standards, and the pressures that comes with the lifestyle of a future vampire elder. 

Going back to the original Underworld film, Sonja’s death wasn’t a big surprise, because you know what happens, after Michael Corvin sees everything through flashbacks from Lucian’s memories. Still, Sonja’s execution checks off all of the necessary boxes. Lucian is completely losing it, because he realizes there’s nothing that he can do to save Sonja, but he does his best to comfort Sonja during her final moments. Lucian and Sonja saying their final goodbyes to each other, the roof slowly opening before the sunlight comes in, and Lucian’s reaction to Sonja’s charred corpse? Good stuff all around for the one big emotional and gut-wrenching scene here.

The movie ends with a shot of Selene perched on a balcony with a voiceover from Kraven, when he tells her the truth about Viktor murdering her family. Placing Selene’s only appearance in the movie, while Kraven exposes Viktor’s lies? It’s the right move. Short, ironic, and her sole appearance validates Selene’s decision to murder Viktor. And Selene needs to be here (Selene also narrates the opening) in some way, shape, or form, because Selene IS Underworld. ROTL also puts the spotlight on an important chapter during Viktor’s reign of terror, so you can see why Lucian was obsessed with his quest for vengeance, hybrids, and becoming a hybrid himself in the 2003 film.

Rise Of The Lycans works as a solid and entertaining prequel. The movie still looks and feels like an Underworld movie, and they did a really good job of capturing the medieval era, with the set pieces, the dialogue, the wardrobes for the vampires, the Lycans, and the humans. 

As far as the acting goes, Michael Sheen’s fiery (“ARE YOU WITH ME!”) and emotional performance as Lucian is superb, and Sheen puts a lot of passion into Lucian’s rah-rah speeches. Bill Nighy doesn’t hold back as Viktor, a strong and dedicated performance, as the powerful vampire ruler. The scene, where the council votes on Sonja’s fate is a good one. Viktor has this conflicted wide-eyed expression on his face before he makes his decision. On one hand, you can sense a loving father, who still cares about his daughter, but Viktor’s ego and his pride wouldn’t allow him to do the right thing. Good scene.

Rhona Mitra holds her own well as Sonja, playing the privileged daughter, who’s torn between being loyal to her father and not wanting to abandon the love of her life. And hats off to Larry Rew for his performance. Kosta (Rew) is a sadistic bully, but Lucian makes sure he gets his comeuppance for the brutal and bloody whipping scene.

Rise Of The Lycans features some solid action sequences and one on one sword fights, including Sonja facing off against Viktor. Father vs daughter, in the rain, at night, AND Sonja reveals she’s pregnant with Lucian’s child? Oh, the drama!

The home stretch delivers on all fronts. I absolutely loved the breakneck speed approach to the big final battle between the werewolves and vampires, because it’s supposed to be a chaotic and bloody mess. Also, Lucian chasing after Viktor for a final showdown delivers some nice thrills, complete with a brutal and gory final blow.

Rise Of The Lycans succeeds as an Underworld film, that shows the early stages of the war between the vampires and the Lycans. The feud between Viktor and Lucian really works as one of the pillars for the story, and you get a better understanding for why Lucian and Viktor hated each other so much. 

Lots of nuggets for Underworld and Evolution throughout the movie, including different characters, the dialogue, visuals, and certain items (e.g. Sonja’s necklace). You can see why Lucian valued Sonja’s necklace, why it means so much to him, and why it’s not just a necklace, that simultaneously works as half of the key to William’s prison.

Also, there’s something that’s almost impossible to ignore about Viktor, and his relationships with Sonja, Selene, and Lucian. The lies, the manipulation tactics, using his own daughter as bait for a trap, and knowing how his relationship with Sonja ended? There’s a pattern for all of it, that leads to two conclusions: Viktor was a shitty father, and a terrible father figure for Selene and Lucian.

Rating-7/10

Underworld: Evolution (2006)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale) searches for answers with Michael (Scott Speedman), after Viktor’s death. Meanwhile, Markus Corvinus (Tony Curran), a vampire elder, and the first-ever vampire, awakens from his hibernation, assisted by Singe’s (Erwin Leder) blood. A determined and enraged Markus pursues Selene and Michael with plans to free his brother, William (Brian Steele), the first-ever and most powerful werewolf, from his centuries-old prison.

Andreas Tanis (Steven Mackintosh), a vampire and a historian, reluctantly helps Selene. Tanis warns Selene about the severity of William’s possible rampage, and Selene holds half of the key to William’s prison. Eventually, Markus corners Selene and Michael, but Alexander Corvinus (Derek Jacobi), the forefather of all vampires and Lycans, and Markus and William’s father, makes one last desperate attempt to tip the scales in Selene’s favor……

My Thoughts- Viktor was a liar, a false idol, and a ruthless leader, so who could possibly be worse? Enter Markus. Markus is completely nuts, more vicious, and he’s willing to kill anyone during his relentless mission to free William from his prison. 

But Markus’ evil mindset is rooted in pain. Yes, he’s delusional for believing he can control William, but William is his brother. On top of that, his father turned his back (“You are unwelcome in my presence!”) on him. A solid performance from Tony Curran, complete with cold stares, and Curran brings the believability for a violent and obsessive maniac. 

As bad as Markus is, you could say William is far worse. They did a good job of playing up the fact that William can’t control himself, the mindless and extremely dangerous werewolf, with an insatiable hunger for destruction. William himself, and anyone who’s been bitten by William, is incapable of reverting back to their human body. A good little caveat that adds another strong layer to William’s character. During the opening and towards the end, you’ll see why a bite from William has disastrous consequences. 

Derek Jacobi’s performance is mainly centered Alexander Corvinus’ prestigious aura and his strong presence. Jacobi confidently plays the wise and heavily flawed forefather. Yeah, it’s a selfish choice to allow William and Markus to wreak havoc, but the all-powerful forefather is conflicted, because he doesn’t want to murder his own sons. 

Steven Mackintosh’s Tanis is a real hoot. The disgraced historian, living a life of luxury and debauchery in exile, with lavish decor, women, and Lycan bodyguards? The jokes write themselves. Mackintosh is good for a few laughs, as the jumpy and shameless opportunist, who’s determined to survive by any means necessary, even if that includes trading UV ammunition designed to specifically kill vampires with Lucian. 

Selene gets a big power-up to fight Markus, drinking a dying Alexander Corvinus’ blood, still containing the last drops of his “legacy.” Nasty double back to back deaths for William and Markus. First, Michael rips William’s head off, and Selene finishes off Markus, with one hard blow, knocking Markus straight into spinning helicopter blades, ending Markus’ plans to start a new hybrid race. Cutting off half of Viktor’s head, and chopping Markus into pieces (with the big assist from the helicopter blades)? Selene always definitively finishes the job.

Michael’s miraculous recovery is my only gripe for the big finale. I understand the irony they were going for. Remember, in the previous film, Selene saved Michael from Viktor, when Viktor was close to murdering him. In Evolution, Selene was struggling against William and William’s group of infected werewolves, but Michael springs into action to save her. Still, the timing of Michael’s arrival was a little bit too convenient for me. 

Still, it’s a feel-good ending, packed with more than enough thrills. The simultaneous fights between, Markus, Selene, William, and Michael, Markus’ reaction to William’s death, and that enormous moment of relief between Selene and Michael, when they realize the madness is over for now. And of course there’s the cool moment, when Selene is finally able to safely stand in the sunlight after so many years. 

Director Len Wiseman gets carried away with the slow motion shots, and I’ve always wished they would’ve done more with Michael in this one. They made a big deal about Michael being a hybrid in the original, but in Evolution he’s more of an afterthought, or he’s just Selene’s trusty sidekick. But you also have to remember, we’re dealing with TWO hybrids in the sequel, because Singe’s blood, the blood of a Lycan, revived Markus.

Underworld: Evolution is a good and entertaining sequel. The dark and snowy atmosphere adds a nice aesthetic throughout the movie, a perfect fit for an Underworld film. Lots of fast-paced and hard-hitting action sequences (the fight between Markus, Selene, and Michael on the road, while Selene is driving the truck is my personal favorite), a handful of gnarly deaths, tons of bloody and gruesome violence, and there’s a refreshing spark for introducing new characters, including Andreas Tanis, Markus, William, and Alexander Corvinus. Evolution’s stylish gunplay, easily the best in the entire series, is terrific. Another strong final showdown to end the movie, and they delivered a satisfying conclusion (an emotional Selene standing in the sunlight is a great visual). 

The sequel picks up right after the conclusion of the events in the original. It’s an immediate and smooth transition, and there’s a highlight reel during the early stages, recapping all of the big events from Underworld (2003). The highlight package and the numerous flashbacks covers everything, so you don’t necessarily need to watch the first film to know what’s going on. 

A big upgrade in the villains department, featuring the terrible duo of Markus and William, two seemingly unstoppable forces. Markus is the only vampire throughout the movie, who has the ability to use a man-bat form, and the hulking white wolf form is exclusively for William. The forms for the first-ever vampire and the first-ever werewolf should feel special, and Markus and William should be the only ones, who are capable of using those forms. 

Underworld nails the rich lore for Markus, William, Alexander Corvinus, and the fine details in the sequel. I loved the snowy opening, starting off in 1202 A.D., with Viktor in full control during his reign, and you get to see a little bit more of Amelia. Viktor was NOT the original vampire. That title belongs to Markus. And there’s another bizarre twist, because a dying Viktor accepted Markus’ bite for immortality in exchange for Viktor’s army to stop and capture William!

There’s a lot of noticeable changes for the main characters, and Evolution ties up loose ends from the previous film. Now we know the exact reason why Viktor killed Selene’s family, and why he decided to spare and turn Selene. And Kraven got what he deserved for his treachery. 

It’s revealed Alexander Corvinus (using the alias Lorenz Macaro), in effort to contain the war between vampires and Lycans, leads and uses a top secret team/clean up crew to remove dead bodies. Corvinus’ team erases any and all forms of evidence, so you could point directly to him as the reason why humans don’t know about the existence of vampires and Lycans.

Selene is still a scrappy and confident ass-kicker, but they also put a lot of effort into humanizing her here. I had a lot of trouble buying into Selene and Michael’s relationship in the original. In Evolution, there’s a more concentrated approach to flesh out the bond between Michael and Selene. 

Michael was basically a puppy, who had to be protected by Selene, and led around by the hand from place to place in the original Underworld. Michael is more confident and fierce in Evolution, but he’s also struggling to accept his new life as a hybrid on the run. Michael almost goes into his full transformation during the scene at the tavern, and he’s about to attack one of the cops. But he sees his reflection in the mirror, realizes he’s becoming a monster, and snaps out of it. 

Enhanced powers for Selene, and Michael finds his footing as a hybrid. Michael and Selene will have bigger problems (Selene is now on the hook for killing TWO vampire elders), and more seemingly insurmountable challenges to deal with going forward. Two films in, and there’s still a good amount of momentum for another Underworld sequel. The follow-up sequel is a crucial film in any series. After Evolution, it’s clear there’s still a lot of gas in the tank for Selene’s new adventures.

Rating- 7/10

Underworld: Evolution (2006)(Minor Spoilers)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale) searches for answers with Michael (Scott Speedman), after Viktor’s death. Meanwhile, Markus Corvinus (Tony Curran), a vampire elder, and the first-ever vampire, awakens from his hibernation, assisted by Singe’s (Erwin Leder) blood. A determined and enraged Markus pursues Selene and Michael with plans to free his brother, William (Brian Steele), the first-ever and most powerful Lycan, from his centuries-old prison.

Andreas Tanis (Steven Mackintosh), a vampire and a historian, reluctantly helps Selene. Tanis warns Selene about the severity of William’s possible rampage, and Selene holds half of the key to William’s prison. Eventually, Markus corners Selene and Michael, but Alexander Corvinus (Derek Jacobi), the forefather of all vampires and Lycans, and Markus and William’s father, makes one last desperate attempt to tip the scales in Selene’s favor……

My Thoughts- Viktor was a liar, a false idol, and a ruthless leader, so who could possibly be worse? Enter Markus. Markus is completely nuts, more vicious, and he’s willing to kill anyone during his relentless mission to free William from his prison. 

But Markus’ evil mindset is rooted in pain. Yes, he’s delusional for believing he can control William, but William is his brother. On top of that, his father turned his back (“You are unwelcome in my presence!”) on him. A solid performance from Tony Curran, complete with cold stares, and Curran brings the believability for a violent and obsessive maniac. 

As bad as Markus is, you could say William is far worse. They did a good job of playing up the fact that William can’t control himself, the mindless and extremely dangerous Lycan, with an insatiable hunger for destruction. William himself, and anyone who’s been bitten by William, is incapable of reverting back to their human body. A good little caveat that adds another strong layer to William’s character. During the opening and towards the end, you’ll see why a bite from William has disastrous consequences. 

Derek Jacobi’s performance is mainly centered Alexander Corvinus’ prestigious aura and his strong presence. Jacobi confidently plays the wise and heavily flawed forefather. Yeah, it’s a selfish choice to allow William and Markus to wreak havoc, but the all-powerful forefather is conflicted, because he doesn’t want to murder his own sons. 

Steven Mackintosh’s Tanis is a real hoot. The disgraced historian, living a life of luxury and debauchery in exile, with lavish decor, women, and Lycan bodyguards? The jokes write themselves. Mackintosh is good for a few laughs, as the jumpy and shameless opportunist, who’s determined to survive by any means necessary, even if that includes trading UV ammunition designed to specifically kill vampires with Lucian. 

Director Len Wiseman gets carried away with the slow motion shots, and I’ve always wished they would’ve done more with Michael in this one. They made a big deal about Michael being a hybrid in the original, but in Evolution he’s more of an afterthought, or he’s just Selene’s trusty sidekick. But you also have to remember, we’re dealing with TWO hybrids in the sequel, because Singe’s blood, the blood of a Lycan, revived Markus.

Underworld: Evolution is a good and entertaining sequel. The dark and snowy atmosphere adds a nice aesthetic throughout the movie, a perfect fit for an Underworld film. Lots of fast-paced and hard-hitting action sequences (the fight between Markus, Selene, and Michael on the road, while Selene is driving the truck is my personal favorite), a handful of gnarly deaths, tons of bloody and gruesome violence, and there’s a refreshing spark for introducing new characters, including Andreas Tanis, Markus, William, and Alexander Corvinus. Evolution’s stylish gunplay, easily the best in the entire series, is terrific. Another strong final showdown to end the movie, and they delivered a satisfying conclusion. 

The sequel picks up right after the conclusion of the events in the original. It’s an immediate and smooth transition, and there’s a highlight reel during the early stages, recapping all of the big events from Underworld (2003). The highlight package and the numerous flashbacks covers everything, so you don’t necessarily need to watch the first film to know what’s going on. 

A big upgrade in the villains department, featuring the terrible duo of Markus and William, two seemingly unstoppable forces. Markus is the only vampire throughout the movie, who has the ability to use a man-bat form, and the hulking white wolf form is exclusively for William. The forms for the first-ever vampire and the first-ever Lycan should feel special, and Markus and William should be the only ones, who are capable of using those forms. 

Underworld nails the rich lore for Markus, William, Alexander Corvinus, and the fine details in the sequel. I loved the snowy opening, starting off in 1202 A.D., with Viktor in full control during his reign, and you get to see a little bit more of Amelia. Viktor was NOT the original vampire. That title belongs to Markus. And there’s another bizarre twist, because a dying Viktor accepted Markus’ bite for immortality in exchange for Viktor’s army to stop and capture William!

There’s a lot of noticeable changes for the main characters, and Evolution ties up loose ends from the previous film. Now we know the exact reason why Viktor killed Selene’s family, and why he decided to spare and turn Selene. And Kraven got what he deserved for his treachery. 

It’s revealed Alexander Corvinus (using the alias Lorenz Macaro), in effort to contain the war between vampires and Lycans, leads and uses a top secret team/clean up crew to remove dead bodies. Corvinus’ team erases any and all forms of evidence, so you could point directly to him as the reason why humans don’t know about the existence of vampires and Lycans.

Selene is still a scrappy and confident ass-kicker, but they also put a lot of effort into humanizing her here. I had a lot of trouble buying into Selene and Michael’s relationship in the original. In Evolution, there’s a more concentrated approach to flesh out the bond between Michael and Selene. 

Michael was basically a puppy, who had to be protected by Selene, and led around by the hand from place to place in the original Underworld. Michael is more confident and fierce in Evolution, but he’s also struggling to accept his new life as a hybrid on the run. Michael almost goes into his full transformation during the scene at the tavern, and he’s about to attack one of the cops. But he sees his reflection in the mirror, realizes he’s becoming a monster, and snaps out of it. 

Enhanced powers for Selene, and Michael finds his footing as a hybrid. Michael and Selene will have bigger problems, and more seemingly insurmountable challenges to deal with going forward. Two films in, and there’s still a good amount of momentum for another Underworld sequel. The follow-up sequel is a crucial film in any series. After Evolution, it’s clear there’s still a lot of gas in the tank for Selene’s new adventures.

Rating- 7/10

Underworld (2003)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This review contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire and a Death Dealer, finds herself stuck in the middle of a troubling dilemma.  A loyal and dedicated soldier in the secret generational war between Lycans and vampires, Selene uncovers a plot orchestrated by Lucian (Michael Sheen), the determined leader of the Lycans. 

Michal Corvin (Scott Speedman), a seemingly ordinary human, is targeted by Lucian. Supported by a Lycan scientist named Singe (Erwin Leder), Raze (Kevin Grevioux), and other Lycans, Lucian relentlessly pursues Michael for his blood. Unbeknownst to Michael, he is a direct descendant of Alexander Corvinus, the forefather of vampires and Lycans.

Selene reaches out to her coven leader, Kraven (Shane Brolly) for help, but Kraven dismisses Selene’s suspicions. Desperate for answers and an ally, Selene secretly takes a bold risk, when she decides to perform a ritual, awakening Viktor (Bill Nghy), the true ruler of Selene’s coven and a vampire elder, who shares a strong bond with Selene.

My Thoughts- Selene is the fierce and fearless ass-kicker, who’s emotionally rough around the edges. But as the story progresses, Selene softens up, and you’ll see a more vulnerable character. She starts out as the rebellious and no-nonsense Death Dealer, who lives for hunting and killing Lycans, but you’ll see the turn towards Selene showing more humanity throughout the movie, during her scenes with Michael, and when Selene finds out Viktor is not the savior that she always believed he was. Terrific character development.

There’s no denying Kate Beckinsale owns Selene. Good facial expressions, she’s kindhearted, when it’s necessary, and she’s believable, as a rough and scrappy fighter, who won’t quit. When you think about Kate Beckinsale and her career, Underworld should be the top pick. Why? Because she’s always consistent with her performances as the vampire Death Dealer, and it’s another case, where I have hard time picturing anyone else playing Selene. 

Details! I’m always a big fan of details, and Underworld puts a lot of effort into creating their own brand of an action/horror film, featuring vampires and werewolves. Putting emphasis on  Lycans over werewolves is one step in the right direction. Glowing light blue eyes for the vampires, blood memories, UV ammunition is used against vampires, silver nitrate bullets for Lycans, and the Lycans don’t necessarily need a full moon to transform, because older and more experienced Lycans are capable of transforming at will!

To take things further, there’s a clear separation of classes between the vampires and Lycans. There’s more structure for the vampires to the point, where they’re represented as a tight secret organization. Covens, it’s established the elders, including Viktor, Amelia (Zita Gorog), and Markus, are all-powerful vampires, who are tasked with being leaders.

The vampires are also elitists. You can see it with how the vampires dress and how they carry themselves, giving off an aura of pretentiousness. Selene, being a Death Dealer, clearly doesn’t fit in. She’s a rebel and a grunt, so of course she’s on the receiving end of snooty looks from the other high society types in the coven. 

The Lycans? A pack of “wild dogs” fighting to survive against the vampires. The Lycans are portrayed as being more barbaric (underground Lycan fight clubs!) and crass. On top of that, Lycans were forced to work for and protect the vampires during daylight hours as slaves. 

Michael Sheen’s Lucian is a perfect fit to lead the Lycans. Yeah, he’s motivated by revenge against Viktor, but at the same time, Lucian is fiercely persistent about fighting and defeating the vampires, because he knows what it’s like to live a life of servitude without any dignity.

The werewolf transformations? I wouldn’t say they’re bad, but it’s not enough for a big reaction. There’s ONE werewolf transformation (e.g. Michael’s transformation in the back of the police car) that’s pretty good, but the vast majority of the transformations are pretty basic. 

Selene and Michael’s love story? Beckinsale and Scott Speedman share believable chemistry together. Selene and Michael are two outcasts, with their backs against the wall. They need each other to survive. I get that, but the setup for the love at first sight stuff in the subway just feels a bit forced.

The original Underworld is still a strange film for me. I’ve always believed it should’ve been at a higher level? The material is right there, but Underworld is strangely missing an extra spark. 

Looking at it now, Underworld feels dated. We’re talking about an early 2000’s film, so you can see the influences from The Matrix for the aesthetics, including the wardrobes, and the overall vibe and feel of the movie. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’s definitely noticeable.

Underworld had the potential to be something bigger, but the overall end result is still more than satisfying. Solid and enjoyable performances from Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen, Scott Speedman, and Shane Brolly holds his own well enough as Kraven. But Bill Nighy takes the top spot for the best performance here. Nighy effortlessly brings an esteemed and strong demeanor, as the vampire elder, when Viktor enters the story, slowly shifting the momentum to the fifth gear.

Underworld also finds away to work every character with a significant amount of screen time into the story, ensuring each character has a meaningful role. Kevin Grevioux’s Raze fills the role of Lucian’s trusted muscle. Kraven is a whiny and entitled backstabbing weasel. Sophia Myles’ Erika sneaks around as a shameless opportunist, who gets burned in the end, and Erwin Leder plays Singe, the slimy Lycan scientist. Every character with a decent amount of spotlight directly affects the outcome of the story, especially Kahn, the weapon’s specialist, played by Robbie Gee.

Rewatching this one for the first time in years, and Kraven revealing his plans and his true intentions was still a bummer for me. Timing is the problem. They exposed Kraven’s backdoor shenanigans way too early, but there’s a big reveal that trumps Kraven’s double-cross, when Selene learns the truth about Viktor, and what happened to her family.

IF you’re going to give away a big reveal during the early stages of the movie, another swerve needs to hit at the right moment to justify that choice, and it’s truly a big shocker for a number of reasons. A nice swerve, and Beckinsale did a good job selling Selene’s heartbroken reaction.

Underworld starts off with a bang during the shootout at the subway, a good tone-setter for a movie that’s loaded with hard-hitting and fast-paced action sequences. Underworld features a good amount of bloody violence, and the ambush at the train station is appropriately brutal. Also, mixing sleek and gloomy visuals and cinematography works as another layer that helps Underworld establish its own unique identity.

It’s a movie that checks off all the boxes for a stylish popcorn action/horror flick, capped off by a strong finale, and Underworld’s story is loaded with depth. Underworld’s intricate and rich lore for the history behind the vampires, the Lycans, and the war, is simply amazing. The cliffhangers? Effectively building intrigue and anticipation for the next sequel, Underworld ends with a few big questions: What’s going to happen to Kraven? And what’s next for Selene and Michael? 

Rating- 7/10

Underworld (2003)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- Selene (Kate Beckinsale), a vampire and a Death Dealer, finds herself stuck in the middle of a troubling dilemma.  A loyal and dedicated soldier in the secret generational war between Lycans and vampires, Selene uncovers a plot orchestrated by Lucian (Michael Sheen), the determined leader of the Lycans. 

Michal Corvin (Scott Speedman), a seemingly ordinary human, is targeted by Lucian. Supported by a Lycan scientist named Singe (Erwin Leder), Raze (Kevin Grevioux), and other Lycans, Lucian relentlessly pursues Michael for his blood. Unbeknownst to Michael, he is a direct descendant of Alexander Corvinus, the forefather of vampires and Lycans.

Selene reaches out to her coven leader, Kraven (Shane Brolly) for help, but Kraven dismisses Selene’s suspicions. Desperate for answers and an ally, Selene secretly takes a bold risk, when she decides to perform a ritual, awakening Viktor (Bill Nghy), the true ruler of Selene’s coven and a vampire elder, who shares a strong bond with Selene.

My Thoughts- Selene is the fierce and fearless ass-kicker, who’s emotionally rough around the edges. But as the story progresses, Selene softens up, and you’ll see a more vulnerable character. She starts out as the rebellious and no-nonsense Death Dealer, who lives for hunting and killing Lycans, but you’ll see the turn towards Selene showing more humanity throughout the movie, during her scenes with Michael, and when Selene finds out Viktor is not the savior that she always believed he was. Terrific character development.

There’s no denying Kate Beckinsale owns Selene. Good facial expressions, she’s kindhearted, when it’s necessary, and she’s believable, as a rough and scrappy fighter, who won’t quit. When you think about Kate Beckinsale and her career, Underworld should be the top pick. Why? Because she’s always consistent with her performances as the vampire Death Dealer, and it’s another case, where I have hard time picturing anyone else playing Selene. 

Details! I’m always a big fan of details, and Underworld puts a lot of effort into creating their own brand of an action/horror film, featuring vampires and werewolves. Putting emphasis on  Lycans over werewolves is one step in the right direction. Glowing light blue eyes for the vampires, blood memories, UV ammunition is used against vampires, silver nitrate bullets for Lycans, and the Lycans don’t necessarily need a full moon to transform, because older and more experienced Lycans are capable of transforming at will!

To take things further, there’s a clear separation of classes between the vampires and Lycans. There’s more structure for the vampires to the point, where they’re represented as a tight secret organization. Covens, it’s established the elders, including Viktor, Amelia (Zita Gorog), and Markus, are all-powerful vampires, who are tasked with being leaders. 

The vampires are also elitists. You can see it with how the vampires dress and how they carry themselves, giving off an aura of pretentiousness. Selene, being a Death Dealer, clearly doesn’t fit in. She’s a rebel and a grunt, so of course she’s on the receiving end of snooty looks from the other high society types in the coven. 

The Lycans? A pack of “wild dogs” fighting to survive against the vampires. The Lycans are portrayed as being more barbaric (underground Lycan fight clubs!) and crass. On top of that, Lycans were forced to work for and protect the vampires during daylight hours as slaves. 

Michael Sheen’s Lucian is a perfect fit to lead the Lycans. Yeah, he’s motivated by revenge against Viktor, but at the same time, Lucian is fiercely persistent about fighting and defeating the vampires, because he knows what it’s like to live a life of servitude without any dignity.

The werewolf transformations? I wouldn’t say they’re bad, but it’s not enough for a big reaction. There’s ONE werewolf transformation (e.g. Michael’s transformation in the back of the police car) that’s pretty good, but the vast majority of the transformations are pretty basic. 

Viktor killed Selene’s family! A big reveal, when Kraven tells Selene the truth about Viktor. How does Selene respond? She kills Viktor to save Michael (now fully a hybrid). The setup for Viktor’s death was so good. Selene leaping in the air with the sword, Viktor, blades drawn, is ready to fight, but there’s a problem: Selene got a clean hit. The visual of a stunned Viktor standing there, while Selene shows the bloodstained sword, before half of Viktor’s head falls off? Easily the big chef’s kiss moment for the entire movie.

Lucian won in the end. Through flashbacks, it’s revealed Viktor was directly responsible for his own daughter’s death, because she was impregnated by Lucian. Lucian was forced to watch Sonja’s (Viktor’s daughter) agonizing execution. Viktor, believing he was protecting the bloodline from a forbidden “abomination,” justified Sonja’s punishment. Lucian planned to use Amelia and Michael’s blood to become a hybrid himself, but he was betrayed and killed by Kraven.

Still, Lucian got what he wanted. Viktor killed Sonja, the love of his life, to prevent the birth of a hybrid. But Michael turned into a hybrid from Selene’s life-saving bite. Selene, someone, who Viktor loved like his own daughter, fell in love with a werewolf. Add in the strange layer for Selene reminding Viktor of Sonja, and Viktor hoping he could have another chance to get it right for a father/daughter relationship, only for Selene to turn on him and kill him, because she eventually chose Michael over him. Man that’s gotta sting for Viktor. Lucian’s actions really set things in motion for one of the most brutal forms of revenge imaginable.

Selene and Michael’s love story? Beckinsale and Scott Speedman share believable chemistry together. Selene and Michael are two outcasts, with their backs against the wall. They need each other to survive. I get that, but the setup for the love at first sight stuff in the subway just feels a bit forced.

The original Underworld is still a strange film for me. I’ve always believed it should’ve been at a higher level? The material is right there, but Underworld is strangely missing an extra spark. 

Looking at it now, Underworld feels dated. We’re talking about an early 2000’s film, so you can see the influences from The Matrix for the aesthetics, including the wardrobes, and the overall vibe and feel of the movie. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but it’s definitely noticeable.

Underworld had the potential to be something bigger, but the overall end result is still more than satisfying. Solid and enjoyable performances from Kate Beckinsale, Michael Sheen, Scott Speedman, and Shane Brolly holds his own well enough as Kraven. But Bill Nighy takes the top spot for the best performance here. Nighy effortlessly brings an esteemed and strong demeanor, as the vampire elder, when Viktor enters the story, slowly shifting the momentum to the fifth gear.

Underworld also finds away to work every character with a significant amount of screen time into the story, ensuring each character has a meaningful role. Kevin Grevioux’s Raze fills the role of Lucian’s trusted muscle. Kraven is a whiny and entitled backstabbing weasel. Sophia Myles’ Erika sneaks around as a shameless opportunist, who gets burned in the end, and Erwin Leder plays Singe, the slimy Lycan scientist. Every character with a decent amount of spotlight directly affects the outcome of the story, especially Kahn, the weapon’s specialist, played by Robbie Gee.

Rewatching this one for the first time in years, and Kraven revealing his plans and his true intentions was still a bummer for me. Timing is the problem. They exposed Kraven’s backdoor shenanigans way too early, but there’s a big reveal that trumps Kraven’s double-cross, when Selene learns the truth about Viktor, and what happened to her family. 

IF you’re going to give away a big reveal during the early stages of the movie, another swerve needs to hit at the right moment to justify that choice, and it’s truly a big shocker for a number of reasons. A nice swerve, and Beckinsale did a good job selling Selene’s heartbroken reaction.

Underworld starts off with a bang during the shootout at the subway, a good tone-setter for a movie that’s loaded with hard-hitting and fast-paced action sequences. Underworld features a good amount of bloody violence, and the ambush at the train station is appropriately brutal. Also, mixing sleek and gloomy visuals and cinematography works as another layer that helps Underworld establish its own unique identity.

It’s a movie that checks off all the boxes for a stylish popcorn action/horror flick, capped off by a strong finale, and Underworld’s story is loaded with depth. Underworld’s intricate and rich lore for the history behind the vampires, the Lycans, and the war, is simply amazing. The cliffhangers? Effectively building intrigue and anticipation for the next sequel, Underworld ends with a few big questions: What’s going to happen to Kraven? And what’s next for Selene and Michael? 

Rating- 7/10