Underworld: Rise of the Lycans – 2009
To begin bluntly, I am a fan of the Underworld series, so have no delusion about that. It’s not so much that I am an action junkie, or am hot for Kate Beckinsale (as hot as she may be), no, it is that I am thoroughly impressed and somewhat enthralled by the whole vampire/werewolf world and its complex history that Len Wiseman and company have conceived.
Laid out in flashbacks in the first Underworld film, the shady history of vampire betrayal and the beginning of the so called blood feud between the bloodsuckers and their once slaves, The Lycans, was wrought. Helmed by a new director, Patrick Tatopolous, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans delves deep into the lore and shady doings of one of the first vampire covens and their cruel treatment of the monstrous werewolf servants, born of the first true ‘Lycan’, Lucien. As the Underworld films have progressed their core has only become more rewarding and labyrinthine. Don’t be mistaken, this film will win over few converts, but the world that has been created throughout the trilogy is worthy of praise.
A monster only be association, Lucien (Michael Sheen) is the prized pet of the vampires. His disease gives the gift of slaves and daytime guardians for the death dealers, lead by the powerful Victor (A fiery Bill Nighy) and graced by the presence of his beloved daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra who takes over in the absence of Beckinsale). A forbidden love exists however between Sonja and Lucien and the deceptions and betrayal that ensues leads to a rebellion of the Lycan slaves against the silky vampires that will last a thousand years.
The narrative plays out in almost a Shakespearian way, with the powerful father and the forbidden affair. Backed with constant action and delightfully over the top and charismatic performances by Sheen and Nighy, this instalment while beginning to wear simply from overindulgence, is a boatload of fun, and constantly entertaining. If anything drags the film down, it is that certain portions of this story have been drilled home by the sequel Underworld: Evolution and it begins to wear on the audience. The film, despite its new director, looks exactly like the previous films and the look suits the medieval theme nicely. With such an elaborate history at it back, this instalment mixes a few things points up, but that isn’t to say Evolution fudged them up. I’m sure upon even greater scrutiny, even more elements of the narrative would begin to erode, but I for one am happy to take it as is and appreciate the fable in its entirety.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is certainly nothing completely new, but style and characters go a long way in a film like this, and with larger then life characters who are impossible not to hate and love in turn, the film achieves a new level of gravitas. So, if you haven’t been bitten by the Underworld curse yet, you may want to take a look, because if loving werewolves and vampires duking it out at the castle wall in the name of love is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.
© 2009 Simon Brookfield
