Underwritten, Underdeveloped, Unforgivable.

Rating: Null/10 (30 September 2003)

I was not rabidly excited about this movie before it came out, but I was interested in seeing it as a horror/action/romantic film. After seeing it I can say...What a Disappointment! The story is unoriginal, the script is melodramatic, the effects are not done well, and even the people I've talked to who like it more than I admit it was, in a word, "Cheesy."
All of it's flaws can be overcome with a good execution. Lack of storyline can be made up for with brilliant performances of the material available, a low budget can be made up for with clever execution, and something redundant can be given a new spin, or a different feel. Underworld had none of this either to save it. The lycan effects, although much better than 'An American Werewolf in Paris', were not all that great as they looked in the trailer, and they were also underutilized. The rest of the effects and fights felt like Matrix Rehashed. The story, what there was of it, was not only not original, but it made no effort to be, which disappointed me. Perhaps biggest in my complaints is the lack of attention given to any development of the werewolves, either as respectable villans or anything more than big furry primitives. It was also scripted like a Halloween episode of 'Days of Our Lives'. As for acting, several people have remarked to me that their favorite character was Kate Beckinsale's costume. These actors have all done good work in other films, they just don't have a lot to go on in this movie. If you are looking for an over sexualized, weak storied action movie that requires no thought whatsoever but tries to utilize high concepts of love and equality so you can feel intellectual while you watch Beckinsale bounce around shooting the scenery and reciting lines that belong in a 14 year old's diary, this is the film for you!! Otherwise, skip it.