Movie Review: Underworld: Awakening
I think it should now be mandatory that, if anyone drags someone against their will to see the Twilight films, that same person should be subsequently forced to watch the Underworld films. They really are at the opposite spectrums…unlike Twilight, the Underworld films have almost zero interest in romance, show the supernatural monsters as monsters (even the good guys), are gory in the extreme, and are mercifully getting shorter with every release. Mark me, this doesn’t mean that Underworld: Awakening is a “great” film. But it is by far more entertaining from the point of pure spectacle.
Our vampire heroine Selene (Kate Beckinsale) returns from the second film (making only a cameo appearance in the prequel third film Underworld: Rise of the Lycans), and much has happened…human beings have learned of both vampires and Lycans (aka werewolves) and are exterminating both to the point of extinction. But, as she and love interest Michael (an uncredited, not exactly great duplicate of Scott Speedman) are attempting to flee to somewhere safe, they are hit by an attack squad and caught in an explosion. Selene awakens, having been thawed from a block of ice by an unknown rescuer, to find she has been spared death to be studied by a research firm called Antigen. Escaping, she starts trying to find answers, such as…where is Michael? Who rescued her, and why can she see psychic images through her rescuer’s eyes? What is Antigen’s real agenda? And how hard up are Charles Dance and Stephen Rea for work to appear in a vampire/werewolf gorefest?
Those looking for the epic Romeo & Juliet-esque story that began the series will most likely be disappointed; while there is an attempt to inject a new romance with vampire David (Theo James), it only stays tepid. Instead, what we get is a ramped-up action fest with more monsters, bigger monsters, and probably about twice the gore (granted, much of it digital, but there’s enough done with practical effects to keep things grounded). It may not be ground-breaking cinema, but even with the film being dark (and in 3D), the action never gets muddled; considering the mess that Fright Night was in theaters, the dark color scheme never gets in the way of actually being able to tell what’s going on at any one time. Speaking of 3D, those against it will probably want to skip this one and opt instead for the 2D version, as are those who couldn’t tell the difference between 3D and 2D in the aforementioned Fright Night or Priest. What’s there is more novelty than anything, but at least it is fun to look at, like Selene’s face behind the block of ice in the opening scenes, or the flowing camera shots between Selene in an elevator and guards waiting on the other side of the door. There’s enough effects are employed to make it worth the extra ticket price.
Kate Beckinsale in “Underworld: Awakening.” © 2011 – Sony Pictures.
But, despite the fact that the story treads familiar ground and exists more as a way to ramp up interest in the franchise again more than to stand on its own, the question is, is it still fun? To that I have to say, yes. Though there are a few intentional laughs as a well as a few unintentional ones (Selene must be shooting for the world record in “most leaps straight down from any solid object over ten feet high,” with how many times she does it in this one), the action scenes are, as I said before, solidly shot, and while the villain twist won’t shock anybody, it does turn the tables on what has been set up in the previous movies. Plus, Selene does battle with a 9 foot tall, seemingly invincible behemoth, all while still fitting into the same basic jumpsuit she’s worn since 2003. It’s all just like a big comic book come to life, and unlike the similar husband and wife team of Paul W.S. Anderson/Milla Jovovich’s Resident Evil franchise, at least Les Wiseman/Kate Beckinsale can make this ridiculous stuff look hard-hitting and mildly believable.
No, an Academy Award winner Underworld: Awakening is not. Its dialogue is silly, its plot is over the top, and all we’re left with in the end is a set up for another movie. But if we have to put up with two vampire/werewolf series in theaters, I definitely choose this one. Even with no Bill Nighy to be seen (and Michael Sheen switching franchises, oddly enough), at least things happen in this. I’ll take my vampires being ripped in half instead of sparkling any day.
Seth Paul
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