Great visual treat, showing traditional film techniques at their best

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2004)

Underworld is a film that unfairly draws comparisons with other films; the matrix, blade etc... In my view it harks back to the good old days of story telling, using CGI techniques only when completely necessary. It is very stylistic from the start, brooding, dark ... but not too dark, I can't be doing with films that make it so dark you can't see what's going on. The heroine (Kate Beckinsale) is a vampire warrior, caught in a battle between the decadent world of the vampires and the rough and ready world of the werewolves. The stereotypes of the vampires and Lycans (werewolves) are a little galling and I'm sure neither would have any trouble identifying each other. The Lycans all look like Sabretooth in X-men and the Vamps, Lestat in Interview with a vampire.
The plot is good and I feel directorially, for a debut, it was outstanding. Should I hear of any other films by Len Wiseman I would definitely watch them. Without giving too much away, the plot follows Selene, the heroine, and a human that holds the key to the futures of both Vampires and Lycans. It neither acknowledges nor discredits any other films that might be drawn into the genre, treading its own path in an entertaining enough way. It draws the viewer to make assumptions that will later be challenged as the well weighted plot unveils.
Lucian (The leader of the Lycnas) plays the obligatory English baddie (Well Welsh actually) and does it very well. He oozes a charisma I wasn't expecting to find, and to be honest didn't find in any of the other cast members. Kate Beckinsale (Although absolutely stunning) doesn't make you believe she is a vampire warrior.
The special effects are good. Traditional methods, such as wire working and makeup are done to great effect. Stunts are effortless and add to the films overall ambiance.
Overall this is an entertaining, well put together film which's draws the open minded intelligent viewer in and engages them in the dark world of god damn s*** sucking vampires. (I had to get a lost boys quote in). I cannot finish without mentioning the PVC suit Kate wears.......hmmmmm