*****

Rating: Null/10 (29 February 2004)

For centuries, the vampires and lycans (werewolves) have been at war, unknown to humans. No-one knows how this war started, only that the lycans made the first move. Though the war is far from over, the vampires seem to be gaining the upper hand, and some have decided to sleep for centuries on end. While the aristocratic vampires inhabit a gothic mansion, the lycans are forced to live in the sewers. Special vampire warriors called the death dealers, assigned to take the lycans out, one-by-one, prowl the streets at night. One of these death dealers, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) discovers a lycan plot to kidnap a young human medical student, Michael (Scott Speedman), and decides to take action. When she gets no help from the coven leader, Kraven (Shane Brolly), who seems to be more interested in Selene than disposing of the lycans, she awakens Viktor (Bill Nighy), the most powerful vampire ever to walk the earth, and sets about protecting Michael herself. But soon she finds herself falling in love with Michael, and risks everything protecting him, even betraying her own kind, and also finds out the true reason behind the Lycan's interest in Michael, a plan which could tip the war in the favour of the lycans.
When the trailer for Underworld was first shown, it seemed like a bad rip-off of The Matrix, but I am pleased to say that this is far from the truth. Though it borrows a few elements from The Matrix, it still sets its own standard. The special effects are amazing. I wasn't so sure about watching another werewolf (sorry, lycan) film after seeing the wolf effects in Dog Soldiers, thinking that they couldn't get any better, but I'm glad that I gave Underworld a chance. The lycan transformation scenes are simply brilliant, especially Michael's change at the end, and the Vampire effects were stunning. One performance stood out more than the rest, and it wasn't Beckinsale's or Speedman's. It was Bil Nighy's. He was perfect as the vampire elder Viktor, making him seem real, and not another dracula rip-off. Another graet performance was that of Michael Sheen, who plays the lycan leader Lucian. Though I am not a big fan of the genre, Underworld impressed me, and I can't wait for the sequel.
***** out of *****