Odelecol Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Sabah Hensley This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

jimbo-53-186511 Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is a vampire warrior who finds herself slap bang in the middle of a war between werewolves or Lycans and vampires because she falls in love with a human host called Michael (Scott Speedman). But it isn't only Selene that is in the middle of this war it turns out that Michael is part of the war too and he is seemingly an integral part of the battle between the Lycans and the vampires....First things first this is a stylistic triumph and it's fair to say that it's hard not to be blown away by the visuals and the whole style of the product. Whilst this has a lot of the Matrix style choreography and impressive visuals what it doesn't have is a particularly impressive story or engaging narrative....There is a war brewing between the Lycans and the vampires and Michael (a human) is unfortunately caught up between the two rivalling factions. Ordinarily, the idea of two warring factions and one man/person being caught in the middle can present itself as being an interesting idea, but with Underworld the whole concept is so poorly conceived and developed that it gets to the point where you find yourself rather indifferent to everything.The film's true shining glory is in its style and presentation; it's clear that director Len Wiseman has watched the Matrix and other Wachowski films as his approach here feels very similar; eye-popping visuals and impressive choreography, but the narrative feels hollow and underwritten and as a story it never really engages.The performances are a mixed bag and whilst Kate Beckinsale is absolutely gorgeous she is very bland in the lead role (and it really pains me to say this as I was a big fan of her late father when he was in Porridge). Her supporting cast do fare better with the likes of Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly and Bill Nighy all of whom put in solid supporting performances.One other thing working against the film (other than Beckinsale's performance) is the unrelentingly drab and gloomy tone. The whole tone of the film is way too dark and coupled with a weak and underwritten narrative it also feels quite boring and it's fair to say that the two hour running time feels at least 50% longer than the actual run time.Underworld will undoubtedly impress younger viewers who may get taken in by the garish visuals, but for mature audiences or for anyone with half a brain the dreary tone and weak story are going to serve more as an annoyance and make one wish that they'd left the Underworld well alone.

MaximumMadness For nearly fifteen years now, the "Underworld" franchise has been entertaining audiences with its relatively competent action and overly moody visuals. And that is most certainly to be commended, considering the original film was definitely the product of its time and might not quite hold up for modern audiences with its decidedly dated aesthetic. This is through and through an early 2000's cheese fest, with borderline insane Gothic overtones, melodramatic writing and a penchant for outlandish wire-filled stunt work... yet I have to say, it's a lot of fun. I remember being in High School when this first chapter hit screens, and it was a big hit with us. And even to this day, I still think it holds up rather nicely, if for no other reason than its just so excessive and so stylish, yet with just complex enough a story to keep you guessing, it doesn't lose its effect.Kate Beckinsale stars as Selene, a "Death Dealer"- a sort-of vampire assassin who helps wage war in a seemingly never-ending battle against the Lycans- werewolves. However, when she finds herself mysteriously attracted to a human man named Michael (Scott Speedman) who is being sought after by her Lycan enemies, and as she starts to uncover hints of treachery and conspiracy within her vampire house, a chain of events will begin to unfold that will not only change the way she views the world, but may hold the key to changing the war in unimaginable ways...The success of the film really falls onto the shoulders of director/co-writer Len Wiseman and the fairly excellent casting that brings the sometimes stock characters to life. Wiseman is a really interesting filmmaker. I haven't necessarily been a fan of his, and sometimes his choices are just head-scratching... but I appreciate his efforts, and when it pays off (as it does here, or in other films like his amusing and thrilling "Live Free or Die Hard"), it really pays off. His use of a deathly cold color-palate and overly-Gothic design sensibilities really brings you into the world of the war between vampires and Lycans. It helps to sort-of let us know that we're in a different "world" that exists alongside our own. He also just knows how to tell a darned-good action scene, and some of the gun-battles and martial-arts displays he gives us are still pretty darned awe- inspiring even to this day. Even if they can sometimes feel a little hokey, you'll never be bored by his use of action. It really helps to elevate what could otherwise have been a drab, lifeless affair.The cast is just great. Beckinsale might not be an Academy Award winning actress, but she knows how to kick some serious Lycan butt and look good doing it, and she's got just enough of a charm that we can buy the more tender moments of romance and pathos that the film occasionally gives her. There's a reason why Selene is still a popular character and people still enjoy these films. Speedman's role might be a bit under-developed, but he's fine in a supporting role as Selene's love interest, and a few twists later on give him some good concepts to sink his teeth into. Michael Sheen is absolutely fantastic in a supporting role as one of the Lycan leaders- an ancient figure with a definite chip on his shoulder. I'm more used to seeing Sheen in comedic roles, so it's a lot of fun seeing him as a brooding, violent figure. And Bill Nighy is just amazing as Viktor- a vampire elder who is awakened and plays a large part in the story. Nighy chews the scenery with such glee and is just a blast to watch. It's always a treat when he pops up, because no matter how far "out there" the role is, he goes for it completely.Unfortunately, the film does have some pretty big issues, most of which boil down to some fundamental problems with the writing and the execution of the material. And that's where it loses a few big points from me. The script by Danny McBride (no, not THAT Danny McBride), from a story he co-wrote with director Wiseman and co-star Kevin Grevioux has a lot of issues with the establishment and conveyance of characters and some themes. It took me a few sittings before I could really wrap my head around things, which is a bit of a problem in my opinion. It can move too quickly while doling out information a bit too haphazardly. I also can't help but smirk and shake my head at the pretentious nature of certain characters and scenes... maybe it's just me, but it always just feels silly when vampire and werewolf characters all have really prim-and-proper sounding names like "Viktor" or "Lucian" or "Selene" or "Kraven", all speak with prim-and-proper sounding accents and while all using a lot of five- dollar words. I also think that the film can be a bit contrived at times, like they tried to shoehorn in a bit too much plot to match the action.Still, at the end of the day, this is a Gothic action movie, and as a purely visceral exercise in excess and a display of style over substance... it's a ton of fun. You could definitely do a lot worse. Can it be silly? Absolutely. Can it be confusing? Definitely. But is it always entertaining and will it keep you glued to your chair? Yes, yes, yes! "Underworld" is a great time, and would definitely serve well to spice up a slow afternoon when you're stuck at home with nothing else to do. I'd even recommend the first few follow-ups that came out.I give "Underworld" an 8 out of 10 just for sheer style and fun.

Thomas Drufke There's guilty pleasure movies, and then there's the garbage like Underworld that take themselves way too seriously in an attempt to make silly action fun. What could pass as an entertaining and visually dazzling cable watch ends up as a confusing romp of a fantasy adventure.I'm a fan of Kate Beckinsale. I think when she's used right, she's of immense value to any film she's a part of. Take Love & Friendship from earlier this year for example; she was given a solid script and the room to use her British wit & charm in a rewarding performance. Sure she's gorgeous to look at in Underworld, but I can't help but think that the writing didn't allow her to truly show her chops. With that said, her ability is clearly superior to the awful supporting cast. Some of the supporting performances (Shane Brolly) are disappointingly off-putting.Much like a ton of early 2000's action films, Underworld suffers from trying to emulate The Matrix too much. It's always raining, the action scenes are darkly lit, and the characters are in a constant slow motion gaze during the shootouts and fights. I can't necessarily blame Underworld for having bad action, it was simply a product of its time. In fact, there are some good looking stunts here, most of them in camera as well. That's when Underworld is at its most appealing.When Underworld takes itself too seriously and the story is bogged down by exposition scenes (that actually make the film more confusing) it's no fun. The reason I went back and began the franchise this many years later is because I was hoping to have a fun franchise to go to the theaters for in a few weeks with Blood Wars being released. Whether I stick with the franchise or not, I'm not sure. But I know one thing for sure, Underworld's first film is painful to watch.+Beckinsale is watchable+Some nice stunt sequences-Really bad script/dialogue-Supporting performances-Ultimately generic4.8/10

skybrick736 Great fantasy/horror films are hard to come by and one of the great ones that comes to mind is Underworld. The introduction of Kate Beckinsale explaining the war between vampires and lycans (werewolves) was a tremendous start and hooks the viewer right off the bat. Len Wiseman really put his heart into this story, the craft is just exceptional. Kate Beckinsale was a great choice to play Seline, the lead vampire and main character. However, it was Bill Nighly that really flourished in the film playing the stern ruthless head vampire, Viktor. Great action sequences are prevalent throughout and even though it doesn't hold up today like it did in the early 2000's, it's still a great film. If you haven't seen Underworld you have really missed out on a great action, fantasy, horror flick.