Underworld: Evolution

Oh Brother!

The sequel to cult fave Underworld (2003) finds vampire warrior Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and half werewolf Michael (Scott Speedman) unravelling the truth about their respective blood lines. Just what caused the feud between the vampires and the lycans?

Unsurprisingly reviews for this sequel are mixed, it's either a smart action popcorner that was warranted, or it's a huge let down after the first film. Personally I'm in the first camp, personally because it does pretty much the same things, only the story has a bit of complexity about it to try and bluff us that it's cerebral.

For a film about vampires and werewolves at war it delivers all that is required in the modern era. There's lots of high energy action, blood and...

I'm sorry but I've denied myself this for far too long. Underworld: Evolution is a cinematic masterpiece and I will fight to the death to defend it.

(I won't actually fight to the death to defend it, or even really try to defend it at all. I know I am in the vast minority here, but I absolutely love this film.)

Final rating:½ - Ridiculously strong appeal. I cant stop thinking about it.

Now this film will only make sense if you saw, and enjoyed, the original in this franchise from 2003 and as sequels go, it works ok. That is, side from a strangely miscast Sir Derek Jacobi but that's short and sweet. The persecuted pairing of Kate Beckinsale and a still rather wooden Scott Speedman race to track down the imprisoned original Lycan "William" before the recently awakened super-vampire "Marcus" (his brother) can release him and unleash untold terror on the world. Such as it is, the script is a bit stilted but the action scenes are tight and the film moves along quite sharply. As with the first film, probably not for purists of the genre, but it does have the distinct benefit of being half an hour shorter and the characters are suitably mean and moody.