So what's it all about?
In Underworld, vampires and werewolves have been battling each other
for centuries. While out hunting werewolves, vampire Selene (Kate
Beckinsale) discovers the werewolves are after a human called Michael
(Scott Speedman).
Selene investigates, and discovers a conspiracy between the ruling
elite of the werewolves and vampires, and that certain truths she had
believed for centuries are a lie.
Is it any good?
Fans of the action/fantasy genre will no doubt enjoy this film. It
starts off with an intense gun battle in a subway station and maintains
the pace throughout.
Director Len Wiseman set out to film the movie as a graphical novel
come to life, and does so superbly regarding film angles and shot
selection. The film is continuously shot with a blue hue, giving a darker,
more gothic feel.
The wardrobe is exquisite, with Selene wearing a PVC suit most of the
time, while all the vampires dress in expensive, beautifully tailored
designer clothing. The werewolves, initially portrayed as goons, are left
wearing average street clothing, emphasizing the distinction between the
two species: The vampires are the rulers, the werewolves little more than
their former watch dogs.
From an acting perspective there's not much going on - the characters
are your standard action figures, although Bill Nighy is impressive
as Viktor, the most powerful vampire in existence. A compassionate,
soulful father-figure to Selene, he is also ruthless and murderous as the
leader of the vampire clan.
The story is quite interesting to follow, both sides have interesting
and high tech weaponry and there's quite a surprising twist to the tale,
which might even have the viewer changing sides.
Score: 3/5
How about those special features?
There's not much regarding special features -a music video from the
soundtrack and narration with the director, writer and one of the actors.
What's very interesting though is the lenghty documentary "Fangs Vs
Fiction. It delves into folklore, describing how werewolves and
vampires are mentioned in almost every culture across the world - at a
time when there was no contact between these countries. There are also
numerous interviews with various authors, historians and scientists,
providing a very diverse and insightful perspective on the vampire and
werewolf phenomenon.
Score: 2/5
Best part:
The final assault on the werewolf lair and the fight scene between
Viktor, Michael and Selene.
Best quote:
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Underworld