"Underworld," written by Danny McBride and directed by Len Wiseman, takes the viewer to a secret world of vampiric aristocrats and rebel werewolves who have been at war for centuries.
We follow one vampire soldier, Selene (Kate Beckinsale), as she tries to uncover a conspiracy dating back hundreds of generations. On the surface "Underworld" is an action-packed bullet-and-goo fest that will satisfy even the most bloodthirsty fan.
Delving deeper reveals that under the action lays a well thought out and mostly imaginative movie. "Underworld" plays to our expectations and then shatters them in a series of plot twists - which may leave some audiences scratching their heads until the last few minutes of the film.
The movie opens with Selene, a death dealer whose only purpose in afterlife is the extermination of her Lycan werewolf enemies. The vampires believe the Lycans are on the verge of annihilation thanks to the actions of Kraven (Shane Brolly), a powerful but shady vampire leader who is credited with the death of an ancient Lycan leader named Lucian (Michael Sheen).
The plot thickens with Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), a mysterious human who has some unknown link to both the Lycan and vampire world that even he is unaware of.
There is plenty of intrigue, action and even a little bit of gothic, undead Romeo and Juliet thrown in - obviously just to add in a grim reference point.
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The special effects are done well. There are times when the werewolves seem a little fake, but that is easily forgiven considering the full splendor of the transformation scenes. Ribs are dislocated and the human face is popped and shattered so many times one can't help but feel lucky that the biggest change in our meager human lives is the slow, social torture of puberty.
The dialogue is well written and, with the exception of Shane Brolly's early appearances, it is also well delivered with believable acting. The lack of one-liners and contrived puns was also very refreshing.
The cinematography is dark and bleak, as one might expect in a vampire flick. The choreography is great; fights are brutal without a lot of flash and the director seems to have made a conscious decision to avoid the over-stylized, clichÇd Matrix-esque wirework.
All in all, "Underworld" is a must-see for anyone with a soft spot for romance, gothic story telling and bloody fight scenes. "Underworld" was also made for any person who enjoys attractive young vampires running around in slinky leathery outfits and shooting stuff up with high-powered handguns.
