January 31, 2009 -- I always liked the first two Underworlds. I liked the first one a bit more, but I ultimately enjoyed them both. And while they may not be classics, I feel they succeed in what they were trying to do. I had little hope for the newest entry into the trilogy for many reasons. I normally don’t like prequels, or at least not the concept of a prequel. Also, with Beckinsale gone I wondered if it would even be worth seeing. I was very pleasantly surprised.

The film starts out in medieval times, long before Beckinsale’s character was alive. Victor, reprised again by Bill Nighy, is currently leading the Vampires as they protect mortals form the savage Lycans for a fee. These are a type of Lycan, or werewolf, that never change to human and are permanently vicious monsters. When a child is spawned who has the ability to change at will from human to monster, Victor decides to use him. As the child grows older, he is eventually used in helping the defense against the non-transforming Lycans. His name is Lucian, and he doesn’t plan on being a slave his whole life. His secret love for Victor’s daughter is the only thing keeping him from escaping.

Michael Sheen returns as Lucian and brings a strong performance as a rebellious slave. Kevin Grevioux also returns as Lucian’s faithful companion Raze. I was impressed to see this much of the original ‘Underworld’s cast back, as I expected only Nighy to return. This movie is effective for many reasons. Sheen effectively stars, Nighy is in top form as the Vampire dictator, Rhona Mitra does well as forbidden love interest, and even…brings a sense of familiarity often lost in prequels. I was surprised at how young they were able to make many of the returning characters look after five years had passed since the original. The film also never makes the mistake of trying to be a replica of the first two films, and completely switches gears to the Lycan side of the story. That being said, the film ties into the series with uncanny accuracy, answering more questions than most sequels do. The end product is an impressive addition to a nearly dead franchise.

The cinematography is adequate, and many of the action scenes are only effective for storytelling purposes. However, the ‘Underworld’ trademark blue hue and overall look is back. The script is entertaining, well paced, and less convoluted that its predecessors with the film never trying to be more than it is. Finally, a prequel has been made that doesn’t try to be epic, but instead effectively adds to the series, answering questions and entertaining, all in all improving the appeal of the franchise. I’ve also always been impressed with the franchise’s ability to switch viewpoints so quickly. One second the Lycans are evil monsters, the next heroes. The vampires may seem heroic, and then suddenly be cast as murderers. The films constantly switch sides making you question your heroes and cheer for your villains. It is this effectiveness in showing the grey areas of what could be shallow stories that make the trilogy worth seeing. This film only improves the mythos, showing that a forgotten franchise can still have a few tricks up its sleeve, and may have a few more stories worth telling. Four out of Five Stars.

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Review from greenhatreviews.com Courtesy Andrew Scott

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