Title: Underworld: Blood Wars Director: Anna Foerster Writers: Cory Goodman, Kyle Ward Cast: Kate Bekinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Lara Pulver, Charles Dance, James Faulkner Year: 2016 Min: 91
Selene (Kate Bekinsale) is on the lam from vampires and Lycans (werewolves, duh), who still want her dead. Now, though, the Lycans also want to find her daughter who as hybrid has the blood they badly desire to finally beat the vampires forever. The Lycans have been united and are more dangerous than ever thanks to being lead by some new dude named Marius (Tobias Menzies). Helping Selene is David (Theo James) whose father, Thomas (Charles Dance) is on the council. Recently having joined said council is the beautiful Semire (Lara Pulver). She has come to the conclusion that they need Selene to defeat Marious and his band of evil, killer fleabags. The vampires convince our leather-clad sexy heroine to return and join them. She proceeds to train the vampire Death Dealers. The question becomes who can Selene trust and will Marius and his crew be victorious?
By now we are the fifth entry in this horror/ action franchise and you know what to expect. You also know whether you care for it or not. If you don't like these movies stop reading. This one won't change your mind, and you'll fucking hate it. However, if you are a fellow fan, please read on.
The plot in Underworld: Blood Wars, as it is, is kind of ridiculous. However, within the context of the series mythology it makes some degree of sense and kind of works. There are enough swerves and double and triple-crosses to give former WWE/ WCW/ TNA wrestling writer Vince Russo a full blown hard-on. I don't know if it all works or is necessarily enthralling, but what it is, is highly entertaining and fun.
This is due really to first time director Anna Foerster who keeps the action unrelenting. The movie moves at a breakneck pace. Breaks are short lived as it's more interested in violence and mayhem, than deep character development. And, what violence we have! Bloody bullet-hits, stabbings, slashing, and hacking abound, with a full body bisection and a spinal column getting ripped out (which should make fans of Mortal Kombat cum in their geek undies) serving as undeniable highlights in the gore department. As with other entries, most of the monsters and splatter is CGI created, which ranges in quality. But, at this point it's kind of expected in these movies, isn't it?
The acting is adequate. No one here is given the deepest of material to work with, but they all handle it well. Kate Bekinsale is gorgeous as always and as such looks great in leather kicking ass and gorily disposing of monsters. Sexy as fuck Lara Pulver is a welcome addition the cast and looks fucking hot especially in more cleavage revealing outfits. Her character of Semire is cunning enough to remain at least enjoyable to follow around. Our main villain Marious, played by Tobia Menzies, is passable but other than being really strong and nearly unstoppable he isn't given any real depth, whatsoever. But, in the midst of all the action you probably won't care much. I know I didn't and honestly until I stopped to think about for this review, I had not even given his lack of development any real thought.
Underworld: Blood Wars gives fans of this franchise what we want: mindless violence coupled with graphic gore and non-stop action, lots of monsters, hot goth chicks (and not just Bekinsale and Pulver!), and, of course, Bekinsale in tight leather killing said monsters. It piles on the action and barely ever lets up. Sure it is all rather silly and empty-headed but the fun factor is so high that it doesn't really matter. One more thing: the following rating for the film is strictly for fans of the franchise, anyone else will surely hate this movie. But, honestly this late in the game you already knew if you wanted to see this movie and were only curious just how much, how badly, and how soon, you needed to do just that.
