Fantastic Film

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2006)

Billed by as a "sleek, action thriller," this movie is ablaze in true Hollywood fashion with numerous rounds of bullets flying everywhere, but never hitting anything. For myself, this was a fantastic film with its "Matrix"-style fight scenes kept to a bare minimum. With its special effects in general being toned down, the story of newly turned Lycanthrope, Michael (Scott Speedman), and Vampire Warrior, Selene the Death Dealer (Kate Beckinsale), shines through beautifully. With both the Vampires (aristocratic nobles) and the Lycans (street thugs) at war for centuries, it's said early on that the Lycans had stolen an "ultraviolet bullet" from a government group. While never actually stated in the movie, that government group would be the C.I.B. from the six episode British television series "Ultraviolet" (1998). On a somewhat related note, I have noticed here that Kate Beckinsale sports a hairstyle that gives her a striking resemblance to her late father, Richard Beckinsale of both "Porridge" (1973) and "Rising Damp" (1974) fame. I still remember our Assistant Manager coming to work after seeing this stating that she wanted to be like Selene when she grows up, and that was a good enough recommendation for me to see this one that I enjoyed thoroughly.