I’m not very familiar with the “Underworld” franchise, as I really had no interest in the first three films. Since I don’t know the established mythos, I went into this film not knowing what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised as a result.
You don’t need to worry about being lost, as the first few minutes of the film recap the entire preceding trilogy in a manner akin to the first page of most comic books.
The story picks up after the events of the second film as vampires and werewolves have been discovered by humans and are now hunted indiscriminately across the world.
Our heroine, Selene, played by Kate Beckinsale, is trying to flee the country when she and her lover, Michael, played by an un-credited stand-in, are captured and cryogenically frozen for experimentation.
12 years pass and Selene escapes the pharmaceutical company, Antigen, with the help of a mysterious young girl who is a vampire-lycan hybrid.
People vs. CGI
On paper, the story sounds like something from a piece of video game fan-fiction, but it’s executed pretty well.
The fact that it quickly fills you in on the mythos is also a plus, meaning that anyone who hasn’t seen the first three films won’t be confused. It’s paced pretty well and doesn’t drag in the slightest.
The action in this film is pretty solid, even if most if it is people fighting CGI werewolves, which range from cool-looking adversaries to not-so-scary CGI models.
Some of the best fights are usually the ones between the vampires and humans save for the final fight of the film.
The final word
Overall, I found this film to be entertaining and now understand why these films have the following they do. While it’s not perfect, it will at least give you your money’s worth, as long as you avoid the 3D screenings.
If you’re into comic books, anime, or action games like “Devil May Cry,” then this is the film for you.
Score: 3.5/5
