An innovative, entertaining mixture of styles

Rating: 7/10 (9 August 2006)

I'll be completely honest - vampires in tight latex suits fighting werewolves is not my idea of Citizen Kane. But Wiseman's Underworld (2003) is such a pleasant surprise on every level. Sure, it is not the most original action/horror out there, but I believe it does innovative things in mixing old-school vampire flicks with new stylized Matrix effects. The novelty of this fresh mixture is so entertaining in this film and better yet, it is seen through a grey-bluish film noir tone, bathing Underworld in a dark atmosphere.
The story is completely solid and while there is a lot to keep track of - twists, characters, names, history, it never strays from its template plot, which is the politics and action of the raging vampire-lycan war that Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights. Onto Beckinsale then, she is absolutely abominably atrocious in her role. Her acting spectrum is frightening narrow, giving us one facial expression that she recycles for every emotion (and the emotions are sparse). Please.Stop.Acting.
Aside from Beckinsale, nothing really needs to be said about the performances of the rest of the cast because it is not what is in focus in Underworld. It isn't character-driven - it's action and visually driven. The villains are all nuanced, colourful and charismatic and that is what matters (that, and Shane Brolly is sexy as hell). The ending may seem somewhat anti-climactic, but now we know why - Mr. Kate Beckinsale already had a sequel in mind, making the ending of this film only assured on his part, paving the way for 'Evolution (2005).
That film happens be incredibly disappointing, but that's another story and Underworld is surprisingly good. 7/10