Note: This review was originally published in Technician on January 27, 2009.
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Underworld shows itself a tame breed
Do you like vampires? What about werewolves? If so, then supposedly you're frothing at the mouth to see Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the latest film in the franchise about a war between the two mythical species. Unfortunately, you're better off staying at home, because not only does it fail to live up to the previous installments, it's just an awful film in general.
The first two Underworld films, while not fantastic, at least felt like they were trying to achieve something. Characters were multi-layered, there were various dimensions to their motivations, and the mythology was more creative and richer than most fantasy films. Unfortunately, this prequel feels like it was made with no thought in mind except to make some more money for the studio. Forget about making a good film.
The film takes place hundreds of years before the original. Vampires and Lycans (werewolves) are at war with each other, and the leader of the vampire coven, Viktor (Bill Nighy), decides to enslave the Lycans and use their unique abilities to his advantage. Unfortunately for him, his daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra) is having an affair with Lucian (Michael Sheen), the first of a new breed of Lycan who has the ability to transform at will. One thing leads to another, and it isn't long before Lucian is leading a Lycan uprising.