UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION

Movie review by David Blackwell

DETAILS: 106 minutes, Rated R

STUDIO: Screen Gems (released through Sony Pictures)

STARRING Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speeedman, Bill Nighy, Derek Jacobi, Tony Curran

WRITTEN BY Danny McBride and Len Wiseman

DIRECTED BY Len Wiseman

UNDERWORLD impressed like so few movies I see in theaters these days, but UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION took it to another level. The sequel expands and turns everything known from the first movie upside down as we learn more about ancient Vampire history and Selene's past. UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION is more action-packed. Almost wall to wall action leaving you little chance to catch your breath. Kate Beckinsale impresses me still in her role as Selene, now an ex-death dealer who learned the truth why Viktor turned her into a vampire. However she didn't know the whole truth as the movie begins 800 years ago when Viktor and Marcus are out to capture the original Lycan, William, twin brother of Markus. Then the movie goes to the present picking up on the same night when UNDERWORLD ended.

Marcus has become a hybrid and learns the truth about Viktor. He goes in search of Selene because he wants to know where William is imprisoned. Meanwhile, Alexander Cornvinus, the father of William and Marcus, comes in to try and clean the mess up like he has always done. He has kept teh war between the Vampires and Lycans secret from the human all these centuries. Derek Jacobi plays this very tragic figure. It is something straight out of Shakespeare.

The sequel even takes the movie places that the first film never did due to the bigger budget this time.  More sets, making Canada look like the UNDERWORLD universe is still in Eastern Europe, a prequel story for the first 10 minutes, and more characters than you can shake a leg at.  It packs a punch and never lets go until the end.  UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION does everything better than the first one while providing more Vampire history than the first one.  yep, this one really has fangs.  Forgot I even said that last line.   I'm still coming down from the rush the sequel gave me.

UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION leaves a sense of hope at the end while reminding us it is far from over and dark times still lie ahead with the UNDERWORLD universe turned even more upside down by the events in the sequel.

this article is (c)1-24-2006 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission (except for excerpts and a link to the review). Look for additional content at http://www.livejournal.com/users/enterlinemedia and send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com