Underworld: Awakening

Dir: Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein

2012

***

And so the franchise plods on. I still like it, it's not a brilliant story or franchise but it is still very easy to watch and that is still the secret to its survival. It comes as something of a relief following 2009’s dismal but unintentionally hilarious prequel, but as much as it walks new ground, they could have done more with the plot. It feels incredibly computer-game like as far as story goes, which is dangerous territory I would have thought, given the legal issues they had with the first film and also because of the Resident Evil films, Underworlds second cousin twice removed and its stiffest competitor. In the film Selene finds herself cryogenically frozen for twelve years, but how cool would it have been if it had been one-hundred and twelve years instead? The film has a much more modern feel to it but the story is still as stuffy as the first two. It’s the same film but with newer clichés. It’s a couple of rewrites away from being a great sequel, there was only supposed to be three films originally, this should have been something special. My criticism comes from frustration, I really like the series (although I don’t know why) and I really wanted it to be better. I liked the real horror element, certain scenes really shining through and the gore very much taking centre stage as it should, but the dark and blue tint is starting wear a little thin and something new needs to happen. Underworld in space needs to happen within the next couple of films, otherwise I’m out.