Underworld


release year: 2003
genre: horror/action
viewing setting: home DVD, 2/5/04

synopsis: Vampires and werewolves wage a mostly-secret war against one another.

impressions: Pretty entertaining, with some good action and ideas, but something seemed to be missing. The basic premise here is that this war has been going on for centuries, and of course, there are secrets that no one knows about. Things I liked: the way the three vampire nobles extend their lifespans and power, the secret history of the war. Things I didn't like: the petty bickering within the vampire house, excessive use of leather trenchcoats and infinite-ammunition pistols (Matrix, anyone? Yawwwwwn.) This was a lot like the Blade movies in that it brought 19th-century monsters into the modern/technological world.

something this movie has that no other movie has: A vampire/werewolf hybrid.

acting: Kate Beckinsale just didn't do it for me as the lead heroine; while rebellious and action-prone, she had quieter moments that approached The Matrix's Trinity for boring flatness. The head werewolf and his big henchman did pretty good jobs, and the evil vampire king was sufficiently slimy.

final word: Good, but somehow didn't seem to live up to its full potential.

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