Written by Tommy Tracy
Underworld: Blood Wars Plot Summary:
Underworld: Blood Wars follows Selene as she battles through the ongoing war between vampires and lycans while also attempting to reconnect with her daughter, who happens to be half vampire, half Lycan.
Well, it’s January, the month where studios suffer tremendous money loss, and audiences suffer with nothing new or interesting to see in theaters (though I am pumped for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter). Studios rush out awful horror films and sequels to D-level franchises, hoping to earn back a measly sum they put into these silly projects. Thus, Underworld: Blood Wars arrives, the apparent fifth film in a franchise no one asked for.
Oddly enough, Blood Wars isn’t as awful as it looks or sounds. It is, however, a by the numbers sequel, pretty much following the same path as the films before it, but fret not. If you’re like me and missed an entry, the film begins with a prologue outlining the whole story of the vampires, lycans and main character, Selene (Kate Beckinsale). This was very helpful, and I commend first time director Anna Foerster for her choice.
What I do not understand is why the production is so, dare I say, boring. Selene is dealing with the exile of her daughter while also attempting to bring together vampires and werewolves, ending their blood feud. While this may sound interesting (and I’m sure the fans of the series will enjoy it), the story dives deep into exposition. Instead of showing us what is happening, two characters often sit around and tell us about an epic battle that would have been great to see (as the effects here are pretty damn good).
Another problem is the seriousness of the film. While something like The Fast & the Furious or the aforementioned Resident Evil films understand their silliness and capitalize on them, Underworld wants you to take this absurdity seriously. There are moments where it seems as though the writers understand that the film can be good while also being ridiculous, but instead go the more serious and, quite frankly, less interesting route.
Listen, this film is not terrible. It is, however, a by the numbers sequel that could bore most audiences to tears. Though the action set pieces are pretty killer, there aren’t enough of them to keep people interested. Unfortunately, the insane amount of filler and exposition drags this film down.
Rating: 5 out of 10
