candyrocket786

Giles

who knew that Sheen is sooo buff. Thought the movie was okay, I really hated the editing, kind of reminded how badly the action scenes were shot in 'Quantum of Solace'

maingon

I liked it, seen it today and was entertained, first half was better then the last half though. Some really great werewolf action. I liked this one the least of the underworld flicks but its still a fun flick, I loved the first 2 though. Direction wasnt as tight as the other movies, it was shot alittle too dark through out the movie. Rhona is no replacement for Kate.


Still a movie that moves fast and has some great action scenes and some good kills.

RocShemp

I liked this one second best. To me the weakest was Underworld: Evolution. I think the only thing keeping from liking this better than the first is that world was "new" when I saw the first film. I look forward to see how it holds up to repeat viewings.

Giantrobo

how can she replace her if she's playing a totally different character?

Giantrobo

fryinpan1

I saw it yesterday and liked it. It was pretty much what I expected. I think it was well paced for the theatrical release, but I am hoping an extended cut gets released on DVD/Blu-ray.

The vampire castle was not what I pictured, but it was still cool.

fryinpan1

Well said. I really liked seeing Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy carry the movie.

iggystar

As a Underworld fan (and a buff, shirtless Michael Sheen fan), I can't wait!

darqleo

Saw this yesterday, it's my favorite of the 3. If you are a fan of the first two, you'll like this one. And if you are a fan of Bill Nighy or Michael Sheen, then it's even more worth a look. Michael Sheen especially as he acts his ass off in this as if it were Shakespeare. Kate Beckinsale was not missed.

Daytripper

Just got back from seeing it. Good film. I hope fans don't avoid it because Beckinsale isn't in it because it is a worthy chapter in the series. This was a brave move for the studio to do the film without her. But they pulled it off. My only gripe is that most of the action scenes are filmed so close, and cut so quickly, you have a hard time telling what's going on. At any rate, I was entertained. Would give a 7/10 rating and will definitely pick this up on BD when it comes out.

BTW, Brian O, if you're reading this. Nice review. I thought the first "Underworld" was just o.k. when I first saw it. But feel the film gets better with each viewing and I love it now. Same with the sequel. I know you hated that one. But have you seen it more than once? Also, both are stunning on BD.

Giantrobo

Yeah Daytripper I think UW:RotL will grow on me like UW grew on you. Like i said, I really dug it, but I didn't Love it. But I have a feeling I'm going to like it more on a repeat viewings.

hashmash

without her the movie is no fun

maingon

i know that that i mean it that way

RocShemp

I get that you meant that Mitra wasn't a suitable replacement as the lead. I think she might have been but we'll never know since Rhona Mitra was not the lead in this film.

Michael Sheen was was the lead and an excellent replacement for Beckinsale. I'm not saying I don't want her back but I'd rather see a sequel to this prequel before we get another proper sequel with Beckinsale back.

Daytripper

I just re-read the first post. Sounds like they were planning a prequel all the time. And that Kate would be interested in coming back. Is that true?

mdc3000

I've found they did that with all the Underworld films but unlike Bond where it was a poor directorial choice, here it's to make the low budget effects not look too cheap. Since I knew going in that they'd be doing this yet again to try and 'sell' the effects, it didn't bother me. I didn't love this but I thought it was very entertaining and it's great to see Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy have some fun. It was brisk (any longer and I think it would have really started to drag) and overall I had a good time. I'd put it on par with the first Underworld flick (although I'm in a minority who thought the first was good but thought Evolution kicked it's ass) 3/5.

Daytripper

I'm with you. I love "Underworld 2". And it's the only reason why I revisited the first one. Now, I watch both of them every few months.

FantasticVSDoom

You know, this series has really become one of my favs... These are always my go to films when I want to watch something, and I just can't decide. This one didn't disappoint and I enjoyed it. I did miss Kate at first, but the Werewolves were just too great to be concerned with it.

candyrocket786

A must buy BD for me as well.

As far as Beckinsale is concerned, this film proves that her character is just a small part of the Underworld-verse. I've always felt that Viktor and Lucian were the central characters to this story and it was fan-fucking-tastic to finally see Nighy/Sheen as the leads.

I'm in agreement with RocShemp and hope there's plans for another sequel to Rise of the Lycans.

RocShemp

That is so true, candyrocket786. In literary terms, I view the story of Selene and Michael as the prologue to the epic of Lucian and Viktor. Markus and William are the prologue.

I hope this film does well enough in the box office to warrant a direct sequel to it.

As for Underworld: Evolution, I don't hate it as some seem to. I just didn't love it either. I liked how it expanded the universe but I felt the film took a few steps down after the prologue (which explains why I'm so thrilled with the prequel). It added some great characters (Alexander, Markus, and Tanis) but I felt let down that there wasn't much of a Lycan presence.

At the end of Underworld we saw there were plenty of Lycans still left and they were seemingly afraid of Michael and Selene. I was hoping for a greater alliance between the two races to hunt them down. Instead Markus slaughters Viktor's entire coven (mostly offscreen) and we see some Lycan bodyguards Lucian pressumably left Tanis (although I found it hard to accept that Lucian would have allowed Tanis to keep them bound in chains as they were). The angle of the first Werewolf was a missed opportunity to bring Lycans into an uneasy alliance with Markus.

The ending narration of Underworld: Evolution suggest that such twisted alliances may indeed occur but so did the end narration of Underworld. I'm just upset that Len Wiseman seemed more concerned with tying loose ends than propell the story forward (although he does a halfhearted attempt towards the end via a great, albeit all-too-brief performance by Derek Jacobi). Those are my main gripes with the sequel.

toddly6666

Surprisingly entertaining and the most touching of the three. I'm curious to see the second one again since I remember it being so forgettable and boring.

Brits are such great actors. I watched this movie the whole time thinking in disbelief "how could this tough, buff dude (Sheen) be the same guy in The Queen and Frost/Nixon?" He really is amazing to pull off pansy and tough...and Bill Nighy is great as well. I love seeing old actors, such as Eastwood, McKellen, Christopher Lee, getting leading roles in action films and taking part in the action as well. Someone give a decent action role to Helen Mirren already!!

And I was happy Kevin Grevioux was back in the film. I don't remember him in the second one. You gotta love that voice.

I think Mitra gave a little silicone boost to her upper lip for this film. I don't remember her being that puffy in Doomsday...


Underworld (Theatrical or Extended Cut): B
Underworld 2: D+ (up for review though - I would like to watch it again)
Underworld Rise of the Lycans: C+ (low points for poor quick cut editing)

Giantrobo

He wasn't in Underworld 2.

toddly6666

According to IMDB, he's in the film - maybe his scene got cut? Or maybe he was just in costume or something?

Giantrobo

There were many flashbacks from UW in UW:E but that's it. There were no new scenes with Raze(Kevin G.) since Viktor personally killed Raze in UW when he brought his Death Dealers to the Lycan stronghold. imdb lists actors in a film even if the appearance is a from a scene in another film edited in.

Also, Kevin G is one of the main creators of Underworld so having his name listed on imdb makes sense.