Underworld: Evolution

The Movie

Directed by Len Wiseman

Screenplay by Danny McBride
Story by Len Wiseman and Danny McBride

Cast (in credits order)
Kate Beckinsale as Selene
Scott Speedman as Michael Corvin
Tony Curran as Marcus
Sir Derek Jacobi as Corvinus
Bill Nighy as Viktor
Steven Mackintosh as Tanis
Shane Brolly as Kraven
Brian Steele as William
Zita Görög as Amelia
Scott McElroy as Soren
John Mann as Samuel
Michael Sheen as Lucian
Sophia Myles as Erika
Rich Cetrone as Pierce
Mike Mukatis as Taylor
Christine Danielle as Tanis Vamp #1
Kaja Gjesdal as Tanis Vamp #2
Attila Lovaghy as Tavern Cop #1
Alexander Grant as Tavern Cop #2
Monica Hamburg as Newscaster
Lily Mo Sheen as Young Selene
Andrew Kavadas as Selene's Father
Kayla Levins as Selene's Sister

Review

This was one dire movie.

The plot was interminably complex, and yet superficial and who cares? We had to sit through ten minute battles of fully armed vampires and unarmed werewolves. They often used U-V ammunition, fatal to vampires (well, duh!), but never bothered with silver bullets, fatal to werewolves - or even the silver nitrate super bullets perfected in Underworld 1. So each battle was a complete and utter waste of time.

There were a couple of vamp vs vamp gunfights (using - of course - standard ammunition, which was another ten minute waste of time. Our heroine survived (surprise!), which was reasonable - but how come her leather skinsuit never got a scratch? A fatal pandering to teen letchies, I fear.

The dialog sounded like a rehash of Terminator 1 - 64 words from the lead actor, including 'I'll be back' three times. Actually, there were a few more words from our lead actors, but not many.

The real crime of this film (and yes, there will be a third), was that we never ever got a feel for who was 'right' and who was evil; we never really got to care either way. I suspect they just assumed we'd all seen UW1, and so rooted for Selene; then why restate all the boring bits of plot three times?

Cut it how you will, this was a stupid, stupid film, and should never have been made without hiring a screenwriter with a brain.

The DVD

Subtitles: English, French
Audio Tracks: English and French (Dolby Digital 5.1)

Special Features

• Commentary by: director Len Wiseman, production designer Patrick Tatopoulos, second-unit director and stunt coordinator Brad Martin, and editor Nick De Toth
• "The Hybrid Theory" visual effects featurette
• "The War Rages On" stunts featurette
• "Bloodlines: From Script to Screen" making-of featurette
• "Making Monsters Roar" creature featurette
• "Building a Saga" production design featurette
• "Music and Mayhem" music and sound design featurette
• Music video: "Her Portrait in Black" by Atreyu