Dressed in that infamous black leather cat suit and flowing cloak, guns cocked and piercing azure eyes a blazing, Kate Beckinsale plays Selene, the warrior vampiress. Don’t expect too much after that, though. This reboot tries very hard to bring the vampire series back to life, but fails despondently - mainly due to a poor script and storyline.
After trying to escape the city, Selene and Michael are captured during “The Purge”, a human movement to rid Earth of all vampires and lycans. They are imprisoned in cryogenic suspension for 12 years at Antigen, a corporation looking to find a cure to all vampirism and lycanthropy.
Selene, known as Subject One, is released by another captive, Subject Two, whose identity we are yet to learn. Upon escape she discovers a world where almost all vampires and lycans have been killed off by genocidal humans.
Selene starts to see mysterious mental flashes of someone else’s point of view. Assuming it to be Michael, she is surprised to discover they belong to Subject Two, Eve (India Eisley).
With the help of the compassionate detective, Sebastian (Michael Ealy), and a sexy vampire named David (Theo James), Selene must break back into Antigen to rescue her hybrid daughter, the ethereal Subject Two, who is being held captive by the poorly portrayed villain, Dr Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea).
Rea’s performance is unconvincing, an underdeveloped character that could have been so much more, and the same goes for the rest of the supporting cast. A host of bland and boring characters, quite unlike the fascinating, interesting characters in the previous installments.
There are many intense action scenes, one after another, fending off genetically modified monster Lycans, which the male audience should enjoy. I certainly did not.
The entire film had a rushed feeling to it, especially during the beginning and at the end. It felt like an extended TV episode, mainly due to the fact that the new directors, Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein, have mainly TV direction experience.
The film was pointless, relying on the previous installments for background information. With virtually no plot, this Underworld chapter does not do the previous films justice, and should surely appeal to diehard fans only.
There is an unsure ending, leaving space for another sequel, if this one brings enough turnover in at the box office. Oh, how Hollywood does love a faux end.
A film to skip, taking an idea a little too far. As the saying goes, quit while you’re ahead.
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