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Underworld Evolution
Underworld was something of a missed opportunity - Underworld Evolution gives Len Wiseman a chance to make amends. Does he succeed? Well, no, not really. It's just not special enough.
Underworld Evolution is an adequate sequel to a mediocre original. Fans of the first Underworld will be pleased and newcomers may have an entertaining enough time. Better than Blade Trinity, but then that's not saying much. I enjoyed this film: I think the average moviegoer will enjoy it: - it ticks all the action boxes, after all. Testosterone Satisfaction Rating: - lots of gory action, a couple of gratuitious f-words, some almost-skin from Kate Beckinsale (preview here) and some actual skin from extra Kaja Gjesdal (here). The 18 certificate is a bit excessive, 15 would be more appropriate. To enjoy this film you should be: into movies like Blade, Van Helsing etc.
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Once again, the director's wife Kate Beckinsale takes centre stage as Selene, the vampiric hunter of werewolves - no,
sorry, "Lycans". The story's too silly to go into here, suffice to say a big nasty wingy thing is after Selene and her
wolfy friend and the world is in danger, yadda yadda. The story's a little tricky to follow and isn't really worth the
effort but, it has to be said, the acting is spot on. Kate Beckinsale pouts and broods away in latex for all she's worth,
with superb support from Derek Jacobi, Tony Curran and Steven Mackintosh (the posh wimpy pot dealer in Lock Stock). Bill
Nighy returns in flashback and is breathtakingly good in a deliciously malevolent role that lets him spit his lines with
pleasing ferocity. The weak link is Scott Speedman as Selene's lupine partner Michael Corvin - in this company he's
comprehensively outclassed and seems half-asleep much of the time.
Underworld Evolution is, by and large, an effects-driven movie, and some of them are a little over-ambitious. The simpler
effects are largely magnificent, but by trying to achieve too much, parts of the action sequences have become
laughably comical. The helicopters, too, look about as real as Thomas the Tank Engine, and the infantile wire work -
well, I've stated my position on wire-work before, it has no place in today's effects armoury. The overall atmostphere is
still pretty cool though, with high-contrast lighting and slo-mo effects creating a comfortable style that is easy to
watch. Thus it will appeal to the younger male audience in a
