Underworld Movie Review:

For over six centuries there has been a war between Vampires and Lycans. After the death of the Lycan leader Lucian (Sheen) at the hand of vampire warrior Kraven (Brolly), the elite vampire forces known as Deathdealers, headed by Selene (Beckinsale) has taken the war to a new level, wiping out the Lycans before they even transform into their werewolf form. But just as the vampires thought they were getting on top, Lycan activity has stepped up as they are now targeting humans and Michael Corvin (Speedman) is their chief target.

Bringing together horror’s biggest mythologies sounds like a dream ticket for all fans of the genre but what we have is a slightly missed opportunity.

Underworld has a lot of things going for it. The premise is electrifying as the thought of Vampires and Werewolves fighting it out with automatic weapons is enough to get any horror fan salivating. The look of the movie mixes the Gothic style of Eastern Europe with modern technology and cutting edge fashion. The action takes everything that is good from Blade, The Matrix and early John Woo and stirs them into an action concoction that is as satisfying as it is bloody. The problem is they forgot about having a comprehensible plot.

Back story is only revealed in short flash back sequences, how the Deathdealers came to be is never really explained and the level of detail for most of the key story elements needs too much thinking about to let the plot flow at any real pace. You end up realising the reasons for action way after you should have or even after the movie has ended. Also while the Werewolves still follow the mythology, with one explained exception, the vampires are totally different from the norm. They have reflections, no fear of the cross, can enter a house uninvited and can be quite easily killed.

Another problem is that not all the characters are fleshed out enough. Kraven’s motivations are never truly explained and Shane Brolly doesn’t look evil or strong enough to be the leader of the Vampires. You really can’t take Bill Nighy as the father of the vampires either, as he just sounds slightly camp and also the reasons for his extended sleep is never really explained.

On the plus side Kate Beckinsale makes an excellent heroine and proves that anyone can do action successfully with the right training. She looks absolutely stunning in her tight PVC outfit and comes across as a perfect vampire, sexy and alluring with a strong hint of danger. Scott Speedman is also good as Michael but while most of his story is engaging, his big finale is a slight let down.

Underworld had all the potential to be a classic piece of action horror. While it does deliver the promised battle between werewolves and vampires with some style and some excellent special effects, the lack of a comprehensible plot never lets the movie get out of the good category. It is just an entertaining piece of eye candy but you can’t help thinking that it could have been so much more.

Star Rating = * * *

Jamie Kelwick
The Usher

Beneath our city streets and deep within our darkest sewers, a masquerade lives on. This masquerade must not be revealed to human eyes as a blood-thirsty war brews on. For centuries vampires have hunted “lycans” or werewolves in hopes of committing a final act of complete genocide.

At the centre of that war is a cold, beautiful and rebellious hunter or the elite of the vampiric forces and their endless fight in the night. She is Selene (Kate Beckinsale).

An innocent human Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman) is being hunted by lycans when Selene stumbles upon him. Why do her greatest enemies want such a human so bad? What does this human have that is so desperately needed by the lycans?

Just as Selene is about to save Michael from an onslaught of lycans, he is bitten by a lycan and the whole dynamic changes. How can Selene uncover this mystery when he has now become her enemy? Should she protect this man from lycans or vampires? An innocent soul is about to unravel her world for all time.

“Underworld” is a dark, dismal and leather-clad world where a new take on the whole classic gothic world is being brought forth. The concept, ideas and even some of the characters are interesting and overly brooding. The greatest aspect of the film is the concept and how it desperately wants to be taken seriously. It being so overly serious is where I find that the film needed a lot of work.

For an epic gothic film to work one has to have something to relate to. There is no contrast in this film since we are never quite sure who to route for since everything isn’t revealed until the film’s finally 40 minutes. The film is almost swallowed in its ignoring of yin and yang or light vs. dark.

What could have helped this film with its overly brooding and dismal depiction is the injection of some humor. This counter balance could have allowed for us to relate better with these other-worldly characters. Without the balance of yin and yang the film just comes off as a very dry melodrama.

The sets and textures of the world itself leave a lot to the imagination. There is so much black in this film that you have to create color from your squinting eyes to make out characters in some scenes. Doesn’t the sun ever come out?

It is blatantly obvious that the film’s action sequence will be compared to “The Matrix” because anytime you have slow-mo action scenes with leather-clad warriors it is a predictable conclusion. There are also comparisons to “Blade” but if it were me I’d take Selene over Blade any day. I enjoyed a lot of the action sequences when they were visible. But a lot of teeth and leather-clad action sequences, a great film it doesn’t make.

Speaking of Selene, Kate Beckinsale is beautiful, violent and daring as the vampire hunter. With a flick of her hair, lick of her lips or motion of her rubber-encased legs, you are captivated. Her appearance and envelopment of the character brings a striking charisma to this lethal soldier. In some ways, Selene is the perfect “Buffy the Lycan Slayer”.

Scott Speedman (Michael) and Bill Nighy (vampire-lord Viktor) are sturdy as the male leads and a good contrast to Selene. I especially like Nighy and how he was able to be so menacing. I had a hard time with the chemistry between Speedman and Beckinsale. I didn’t feel any raw attraction which is key in making the romantic angle work. There was more chemistry between Beckinsale and Nighy in their pseudo-father-daughter relationship.

“Underworld” is in the purest sense of the words, a melodramatic gothic mob story with a romantic subplot. There is a lot to like here but I felt overwhelmed by the film’s dry and very thick dogma.

3.5 out of 5

Dean Kish

So Says the Soothsayer

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