Underworld: Blood Wars

It is again more fun from the Underworld universe. More vampire-Lycan duels, more sneaky plans for one to wipe the other out etc. And it is cool and action-packed. But the formula is just wearing thin now. It has had its time, and it is probably time to stop. Blood Wars adds very little to the franchise besides setting up another installment. Beckinsale is great as usual, and the film ends with her as an elder vampire, which is nice that she's not on-the-run anymore, but the Lycan boss, Marius, is a bit of a damp squib (though his Lycan incarnation is awesome). The vampire clan's enemy-bitch-within isn't much better either, though she sure does like to show her cleavage! It is also a good decision for them to turn Theo James' character into an important descendant of a great-elder, instead of just being some disagreeable and constantly frowning vampire guy.

The film has plot holes, but if you don't care so much (like me!) then you will enjoy yourself. The action is fairly good and the kills are pretty neat. But it is the least enjoyable Underworld film that stars Kate Beckinsale. The film seems to prioritise its aim to set things up for future movies, which is admirable, but at the same time what's going on feels less significant.

A generous B-

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Underworld A
Underworld: Evolution A
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans D+
Underworld: Awakening B
Underworld: Blood Wars B-

It's pretty bad.

I still have somehow never seen an Underworld film.

Same here, but it's really a case of I haven't seen the previous one so not going to start now. I also feel I should see Van Helsing first before Underworld.

The first one is still pretty good. Haven't seen Evolution or Lycans since release but I liked them at the time. Awakening was dreadful aside from the super werewolf.

This movie looks shit. Kate, however, still looks great.

I did not hate this movie.

It's tough to compare since I remember so little about the others, but I know I liked this more than AWAKENING, and maybe the original UNDERWORLD, too.

C+? It's already fading!

I'm generally fan of the series, and this might be my favorite. Previously Rise of the Lycans was my favorite because I prefer the sword and shield to Matrix ripoff style action of the others. Blood Wars has better looking effects than the other movies in the series, a similar story, and a Nordic vampire clan that uses swords and shields In addition, there are some pretty awesome kill scenes in this movie.

B+

Underworld: BloodWars is the ultraviolent and ultracampy gothic soap that washes away all sins - it has no shame!

Tied for the best Underworld yet! *A+*

I really enjoyed this. Had a blast, it moved quicky, it wasn't overly cheesy, and it had some awesome action. I thought most of the acting was pretty good for the genre, and the story wasn't overly complicated.

Though it did have an odd 5 minute gun scene where everything was slow motion.

B+

Underworld: Blood Wars, the fifth entry in the vampire-versus-werewolf action-horror franchise, is largely just another Underworld movie, an earnest and to-the-point bridge from the fourth film we barely remember to the sixth Sony will produce should international receipts demand it. And I am fine with this. Every element is in place: a dose of mythology-heavy vampire palace intrigue here, an elaborate (leather-clad) gunfight there, each element tinted as ever a Gothic-futuristic midnight blue. There are a handful of definite flaws: the last-time-on-Underworld montage at the start—her name is Selene, she was once the vampires' most elite soldier, now she is hunted by both sides, etc.—feels arbitrary and extraneous five films in, and the last few minutes are oddly truncated and anticlimactic. But there are definite highlights, too: television veteran and first-time feature director Anna Foerster stages crisp, exciting set pieces and includes a welcome left-field flourish or two, particularly an atmospheric visit to a Nordic vampire stronghold highly reminiscent of J. R. R. Tolkien's Lothlórien. She also wisely enlists the tremendous, overqualified Tobias Menzies, whom she directed in several episodes of Outlander, to lend grit and gravitas to the enterprise as a new werewolf antagonist. An extra, more theatrical dose of evil is provided by a game Lara Pulver, playing a social-climbing, treacherous vampire councilwoman. As for franchise stalwart Kate Beckinsale, she finds no new notes to play as heroine Selene—this honestly cannot help but register as a deflation or retreat after her career-best turn in last year's Love & Friendship—but she is still a striking and stylish presence in motion.

B-

I do believe there is a bit of a Scott Speedman-shaped hole in the later Underworld films. I wonder if there is a behind-the-scenes-conflict story there. This movie and particularly the prior one are always busily papering over and editing around his character Michael's absence from the main action. And I cannot imagine people truly invested in the Underworld franchise's mythology (if they exist) will be satisfied by the limp "death" Michael is provided here.

I had no idea, but Underworld seems to be a very beloved franchise on WOKJ, with Blood Wars completely to my surprise continuing the trend.

Except, of course, for Dr. Lecter who made the mistake of writing his "review" too early this time, instead of waiting to see how the trend was developing like usual.

Let's hope 2017 bring Bradley Witherberry a severe bout of Ebola with a dash of cancer.

You described yourself.

I don't know about anyone else, but this movie is barely getting the pass by me. Sure I didn't hate it or think it was awful, but it felt so lazy IMO. Decent action sequences and ok villains aside it's all basically set up for future films which is what the last movie did and five years later we still haven't gotten any kind of payoff, so what the hell is the point of it? We already know Scott Speedman isn't coming back which sucks and for some reason they decided to take the daughter character out of this one completely which was also a bad idea since I really enjoyed that character in Awakening and wanted to see what they would do with her in more movies. The Michael and Eve characters were some of the coolest aspects of this franchise and if they aren't going to do much with either of them than I really don't care for the direction they are taking these movies in. Honestly, seeing how this movie is underperforming so far I hope they just stop it right here.

WOKJ members, I ask you to reflect upon this:

What is the essential character of a person who would wish such things upon any fellow human being?


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Dr. Lecter's reply below is a chilling reminder of German history in the 20th century.

I have never been under the impression that you are a human being, so...