Underworld Franchise (2003-2016)

Rating: 7/10 (14 December 2019)

Still a better love story than Twilight :D
Set (predominantly) in the present day, this fantasy franchise tells us of a centuries-old war between vampires and werewolves. We follow the story from the perspective of Selene (Kate Beckinsale), one of the greatest vampire warriors, who leads the werewolf hunt. When she meets Michael (Scott Speedman), a man who is persecuted by werewolves for a mysterious reason, her life and worldviews change drastically. This saga has quite a well-crafted story and characterization, though as the franchise goes on, the quality of the story declines to eventually turn into a shallow action. The acting, the camera, the directing, the effects, the music ... it's all pretty well done, but nothing spectacular.
Underworld (2003)
The first film introduces us to the dark world of vampires and werewolves, which secretly coexists with ours. While vampires are a well-organized society with a powerful army, werewolves are a wild unleashed horde that is gradually exterminated by vampires. And then emerges a leader capable of uniting werewolves, as well as a man capable of uniting the features of both races in one hybrid being. A good thriller with a story that will intrigue you, and with just the right amount of romance and well-directed action.
7/10
Underworld: Evolution (2006)
"Evolution" continues directly to the first movie and now Selene and Michael are trying to break into the history and secrets of both races, in a desperate attempt to bring the centuries-old war to an end. A worthy sequel in the same manner and quality as the first film.
7/10
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
"Rise of the Lycans" is an "origins story" and takes us into the Middle Ages. Vampires were aristocracy, and werewolves were their slaves, until the young werewolf Lucian rose into a leader who led his race in the struggle for liberation, thus beginning a centuries-old war between the two races. The franchise still holds a level.
7/10
Underworld: Awakening (2012)
Humans discover the existence of vampires and werewolves and decide to exterminate them. Michael and Selene are hit while fighting humans and she wakes up twelve years later, not knowing what happened to Michael. She now has a twelve-year-old daughter, the first natural-born hybrid, who she must protect from Lycans that want to take advantage of her in their fight for dominance.
The fourth film is slightly weaker than its predecessors. The action continues in the same manner, but the story is underdeveloped. I was under the impression that I was watching a long movie trailer, not the movie itself. But basically, I liked it.
6,5/10
Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)
The latest installment in the "Underworld" franchise is by far the worst, but not redundant. "Blood Wars" rounds off this saga, but it does a rather lousy job, and the movie is reduced to eighty minutes of shallow action and two-dimensional characters that are there just to keep the story from staying unfinished. I don't want to recommend it, but again, you have to see it if you wish to know how the story ends.
5/10