The Vampires are
fighting the Werewolves in an age old war in an unnamed modern city in this lovingly
made, but just above average B movie. With noir visuals that hark back to the
Crow and action scenes and an aesthetic clearly robbed from the Matrix,
Underworld unfortunately can't escape from its budget not matching its ambition.
Kate Beckinsale is
the highlight of the movie in the lead role as the Werewolf hunting Vampire Selene who stumbles
across a conspiracy against the Vampires involving the leader of the Werewolf clan Lucian, played
with his usual panache by Michael Sheen. Unfortunately that is it on the quality acting
front. The remaining supporting cast is pretty woeful in its entirety.
Including the badly cast Bill Nighy who in the role of Vampire elder warrior
Victor isn't helped by spending most of the film in a dreadfully low budget
prosthetic suit which makes him look like a middle manager going to a middle
class Halloween fancy dress party in a badly faded blow up muscle suit. The situation is not helped either by Nighy being asked to do action scenes which
is singularly unsuited to do.
Even for 2003 the
special effects leave much to be desired the Werewolf transformations look like
something from the 80s which is completely unforgivable in the post Matrix world.
Yet despite these issues it is well paced movie with a convincing plot, it is just a shame
that the casting and effects prevent it from reaching its full potential.
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