Underworld: Awakening (D+ or 1.5/4 stars)
After sitting out of the 3rd Underworld film, Kate Beckinsale is back as heroic vampire warrioress Selene in 'Underworld: Awakening' (directed by Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein). Her mission was complicated in the 1st 2 films due to her romance with vampire-wolf hybrid Michael (Scott Speedman). This time, after human forces discover the existence of the Vampire & Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both immortal species begins. As the film commences, Selene is sent mad by a human purge of both the Vampires & the Lycans that lands her in a laboratory cryo-freeze for an indefinite length of time. When she is suddenly thawed out some 12 yrs. later, she hasn't a clue what happened to her beloved Michael, or what the lab guys want with her.
Fortunately, even though she's been frozen for years, she can still kick as* and take down opponents with ease (and more viscerally than ever!). She also doesn't initially grasp her psychic link to a young girl, Eve (a cherub-like India Eisley), although it isn't hard to figure out that she is her daughter {duh}. Among the other characters who are so invested in Eve's special abilities include: the laboratory's 'strange' scientist (Stephen Rea, what are you DOING in this?), a muscular vampire resistance fighter (Theo James), & the fighter's father (Charles Dance, what are you DOING in this?). Can Selene win this battle against mankind? Tons of redundant action scenes ensue. No plot ever arrives. And with that ... the worst Underworld film of the series.
Okay. Let's see if I can say anything positive about this movie. 1) Umm, well, Kate Beckinsale is back. Yay. She owns this role. And she still looks hot. 2) The first 20 minutes or so are full-on action scenes with no let-up; and the stunt choreography is well-handled. 3) The gore is aplenty. Aaaaand that's all I got. This film devotes so much time & energy to BADASSERY that it completely comes across as disingenuous/phony (even in a film of this ilk). Furthermore, with so much emphasis put on badassery, grandstanding, & posing ... there was no room left for a story. Why were they fighting? No one really cares. Oh, there's another bludgeoning action sequence? Great {insert sarcasm}. Now, I said earlier that I liked the action. That's true. But after the 15th sequence, you start to feel numb. And I can definitely say that 'Underworld: Awakening' is the LOUDEST film I've ever sat through. I thought my ears were gonna start bleeding. Seriously.
Ahh, what are you going to do? Did I enjoy the gleaming slickness of the film? The glistening blue black tinge to the cinematography? The rain-slickened alleyways? Beckinsale's cool portrayal (in every sense of the word)? Yes to all. But after you watch an hour & 40 minutes of running, skulking, hiding, fighting, running, posing, shooting, skulking, killing, hiding, biting, posing, killing, running, slicing, etc etc etc. ... the entertainment value gets completely lost. And I repeat, there is almost zero plot of note. You know, there's a moment late in the proceedings where Eve questions Selene's lack of maternal instincts. Could a vampire have feelings? Can a vampire assassin stop killing to care for a daughter? Nice thought. But the film doesn't go on to explore any of those questions. It just soldiers on to the next loud, bang 'em up action sequence. Overall, 'Underworld: Awakening' is something fairly dreadful. I had higher hopes.
Fortunately, even though she's been frozen for years, she can still kick as* and take down opponents with ease (and more viscerally than ever!). She also doesn't initially grasp her psychic link to a young girl, Eve (a cherub-like India Eisley), although it isn't hard to figure out that she is her daughter {duh}. Among the other characters who are so invested in Eve's special abilities include: the laboratory's 'strange' scientist (Stephen Rea, what are you DOING in this?), a muscular vampire resistance fighter (Theo James), & the fighter's father (Charles Dance, what are you DOING in this?). Can Selene win this battle against mankind? Tons of redundant action scenes ensue. No plot ever arrives. And with that ... the worst Underworld film of the series.
Okay. Let's see if I can say anything positive about this movie. 1) Umm, well, Kate Beckinsale is back. Yay. She owns this role. And she still looks hot. 2) The first 20 minutes or so are full-on action scenes with no let-up; and the stunt choreography is well-handled. 3) The gore is aplenty. Aaaaand that's all I got. This film devotes so much time & energy to BADASSERY that it completely comes across as disingenuous/phony (even in a film of this ilk). Furthermore, with so much emphasis put on badassery, grandstanding, & posing ... there was no room left for a story. Why were they fighting? No one really cares. Oh, there's another bludgeoning action sequence? Great {insert sarcasm}. Now, I said earlier that I liked the action. That's true. But after the 15th sequence, you start to feel numb. And I can definitely say that 'Underworld: Awakening' is the LOUDEST film I've ever sat through. I thought my ears were gonna start bleeding. Seriously.
Ahh, what are you going to do? Did I enjoy the gleaming slickness of the film? The glistening blue black tinge to the cinematography? The rain-slickened alleyways? Beckinsale's cool portrayal (in every sense of the word)? Yes to all. But after you watch an hour & 40 minutes of running, skulking, hiding, fighting, running, posing, shooting, skulking, killing, hiding, biting, posing, killing, running, slicing, etc etc etc. ... the entertainment value gets completely lost. And I repeat, there is almost zero plot of note. You know, there's a moment late in the proceedings where Eve questions Selene's lack of maternal instincts. Could a vampire have feelings? Can a vampire assassin stop killing to care for a daughter? Nice thought. But the film doesn't go on to explore any of those questions. It just soldiers on to the next loud, bang 'em up action sequence. Overall, 'Underworld: Awakening' is something fairly dreadful. I had higher hopes.