Underworld

Dir: Len Wiseman

2003

***

I can’t say Underworld appealed initially but there is something about it I found somewhat irresistible. Maybe 2003 was a slow year, it’s no masterpiece but it’s exceptionally watchable. It's a bit like a Gothic-style Matrix really, flash visuals, lots of fighting, lots of shooting, tight leather trousers with each character having their own distinct level of smugness about them. I can't help but think Vampires vs. Werewolves could have been a bit cooler than this but there is something chillingly British about the whole affair that adds a certain something to it. It ticks the action box easily and while it’s not really a horror, it does have a satisfying amount of gore. It does bother me though that Vampires are always so pompous in films and why do assassins always wear tight-leather jump-suits or long leather coats, it's not very inconspicuous and surely it gets in the way? There are many clichés you just can’t escape when it comes to Vampire and Werewolves, the important thing is to do the characters justice and I think they do that here. The big question though was just whose characters they were. Underworld sold lots of tickets, the sequel and a prequel were ordered before the film was released, purely down to the amount of pre-bookings the film had in Canada. So when author Nancy Collins and White Wolf Inc sued the film due to the many similarities to their stories and role-playing games, the studio had to pay up so as not to waste any more money. It’s amazing that Danny McBride’s (no not him) story was green-lit in the first place without anyone realising but like I said, sometimes there is no avoiding certain clichés. It is your typical Death Dealer meets man, falls in love, man turns into Werewolf, Death Dealer falls in love with man and defends him from vampires and werewolves sort of storyline. It may seem like it’s all about blood and fighting but it’s actually about acceptance. It’s amazing it lead to so many sequels really, director Len Wiseman and leading actor Kate Beckinsale began a romance that lead to marriage, even though lover and father of her child Michael Sheen was also in the film. All three returned for the follow up. The film had failure written all over it but I think it is its unique watchability that ultimately saved it and continues to pull in the punters. Kate Beckinsale is really good in the lead role, to think that they nearly got Halle Berry instead (they also asked Milla Jovovich – who thankfully stuck with Underworlds equally watchable Resident Evil series and Rhona Mitra, who finally joined the series in the prequel). Ever so slightly better than a guilty pleasure.