Should be a comic book

Rating: 9/10 (20 September 2003)

For all I know, there could already be a comic book in the works for the vampire-werewolf fantasy, "Underworld." I just got back from seeing it and I must say that this movie should stand up pretty well in the face of all the ridiculous (read: pointless, useless) "Matrix; Crow; Blade" comparisons. I've heard that this movie is based on some RPG game I have never heard of and if that's true, I don't really care; this movie could probably beat the hell out of it.
"Underworld" really has a unique feel to it. The story doesn't stand up well under a whole lot of thought, but that doesn't really matter. What should really capture some people, are the special effects and the sets. There are some pretty nifty werewolf transformation scenes that certainly deserve Oscar attention. The sets, highly Victorian as they are, also should get some props. This movie is going to be a comic book; I can tell. It certainly has the look, feel, and story of one, yet that still doesn't make it bad.
Speaking of the story, though it isn't strong, it gets to you. The thought that vampires and werewolves have been duking it out for thousands of years right under our noses is intriguing, even if it hasn't been fleshed out that well in the film. Even still, it gets you thinking about everything that war means to them and us.
As for the action scenes, they are certainly well shot and violent. Surprisingly, there isn't that much gore here either. But what is really surprising is that the movie doesn't offer us pointless action scenes to fill in for lack of story; there's actually meaning behind it all.
"Underworld" is a pretty well-done fantasy that deserves to be immortalized in the comics.
9/10