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- Neil Middlemiss
Len Wiseman’s Underworld was a terrific piece of entertainment. It introduced the stunning Kate Beckinsale in a Matrix-style tight black shiny outfit and a franchise for Sony Pictures which seems to continue to grow in popularity. The concept behind the series is immediately entertaining; werewolves and vampires fighting for dominance of the underworld, with the vampires operating in a multi-class system of royalty, decadent sycophants and the high-tech weaponry carrying death dealers – the soldiers and protectors of the covens. This fourth installment injects a few twists and successfully keeps the franchise alive though it is far from solid and shows its seems on more than a few occasions. Still, fans of the series will be entertained enough and Kate Beckinsale’s return as Selene is certainly a welcome highlight.
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Year: 2012
US Rating: Rated
Film Length: 89 Minutes
Video: 2D and 3D MVC Encoded 3D 1080P High Definition
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: English 7.1 DTS HD-Master Audio 5.1, French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Review Date: May 13, 2012
“This is a new war and it's only beginning”
The Film
3/5
The underworld, where the centuries old war between the Vampires and Lycans has raged beyond the view of mere mortals, has been exposed. Humans have discovered the existence of the two species and they are raiding covens and lairs seeking to wipe them out. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and Michael (Scott Speedman) have survived but the human war against the immortal species has wrought a heavy toll. Seeking refuge, Selene and her hybrid lover Michael have a plan to escape being hunted – but they are too late. Selene is captured and placed in stasis. She awakens year’s later, escapes the facility where she was held, and finds a world where her species are all but gone and the lycan clans greatly depleted.
Selene is led to a child through visions, found by a fellow death dealer, David (and his surviving coven, run by the elder Thomas) and set on a course to fight against the deadly human race. But this new world isn’t quite as it seems.
Directed by Sweden’s Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, this fourth installment both borrows and expands upon the mythology contained in the preceding entries and it shows off a slick style and confident, though weakness in the plot and story structure hold the film back from standing out. Several set pieces work well, particularly Selene’s escape from the mysterious facility during the first act, and the finale is a treat as Selene and friends battle the twist creature. In between there are missteps. Pacing overall is off and in this regard the film is somewhat reminiscent of Underworld: Evolution’s failings (where a hurriedness to get so many ideas into the running time and a muddled story arc dampen the fun.
Kate Beckinsale returns to her Selene character stronger and bolder than ever (having missed out of the surprisingly good 3rd outing prequel). Beckinsale remains physically nimble as she battles werewolves and humans alike, and with co-stars Theo James as Vamprie David, India Eisley as Eve, Charles Dance as the elder Vampire Thomas and Michael Ealy as the human detective Sabastian, turns in a performances that is naturally fitting for the affair at hand. There are script weaknesses to speak of, particularly for Ealy’s human detective, but these are generally forgivable in a film like this.
Underworld: Awakening is exactly what it shows itself to be, and nothing more. The final act of the film is great fun with enough spectacle and creature fighting to satiate the core audience’s appetites for well-choreographed action and collateral damage. The Underworld films, the original perhaps being the exception, never really seem to know what to do with Scott Speedman’s hybrid werewolf/vampire creation. His character seemed inconvenient in the second installment and in this fourth entry he is sidelined quickly during the first act and given presence throughout in mentions only. Fans seemed disappointed by his absence and so I foresee that being addressed in future installments.
The Video
5/5
3D Implementation
3.5/5
Underworld: Awakening is presented in 1080p High definition with an aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and the cool, near-sterile color scheme – a trademark of the series – is brilliantly vivid. Filmed with the Red Epic camera, the amount of detail is gorgeous, even in darker scenes (of which there are plenty), clarity is not an issue. Black levels are equally gorgeous and, being the most bloody of the series, the gore is beautifully detailed as well.
I prefer the 2D version of this film to the 3D version for many of the reasons that Sony’s Priest was such a disappointment on 3D Blu-ray, the scenes are just too dark to give a consistent sense of depth to the image. There are a number of 3D effects which work for the picture, mostly projectiles tossed with lethal precision by the Selene character. Sequences in the sterility of the facility (where Selene escapes) also offer the best opportunity for that sense of depth, but quite frankly, without the skilled placement of light sources within the frame and skilled hands behind the camera who know just how to manage 3D filming, Underworld doesn’t really work as a 3D film. That isn’t to say that its bad – it isn’t – it’s just that it doesn’t work the way that many I am sure are hoping. The last Resident Evil film – shot in 3D – is proof that these kinds of films can be handled well shot for 3D. Other reviews have been impressed with the 3D quality of this film, but if you can borrow or rent first - or are ok with shelling out a few extra dollars for the 3D/2D version – I recommend it.
The Sound
5/5
The English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is one of the most ground-drumming and explicitly enveloping that I have ever heard. A wicked combination of insane low frequency effects and the crash and sparkle of broken glass and ricocheting bullets in the surrounds give this audio enormous potency. All the basic bases are handled flawlessly – dialogue mainly in the center channel and Paul Haslinger’s light-techno score healthy in the front and surround channels. Highly impressive audio.
The Extras
3/5
Filmmaker Commentary: The directors and producers, along with the visual effects supervisor talk in detail about the making of the film. This is a reasonably informative commentary track containing some good anecdotes but technical details aplenty.
Blooper Reel: It is a tad unusual to find a blooper real on such a serious film, but this one is fun nonetheless.
"Heavy Prey" Music Video by Lacey Sturm feat. Geno Lenardo
Selene Rises: A look at the character to Selene and the actress who brings her to life.
Casting the Future of Underworld: This is a look at the addition of Theo James and India Eisley to the Underworld canon and the positioning for a continuing tapestry of Underworld films.
Resuming the Action: A short look at the stunt work that went into the action sequences and how 3D was used to accentuate the action
Building a Better Lycan: A good look at the evolving techniques for bringing the Lycan’s to life.
Awakening a Franchise, Building a Brutal New World: A broad look at bringing the film together.
Previsualization Sequences: 6 pre-viz sequences presented in 3D
Final Thoughts
Underworld: Awakening isn’t a particularly good film. It isn’t a particularly bad film either, merely an unsurprising continuation of the Underworld saga that throws Vampires and Lycans against each other with gunplay, acrobatics and fangs and claws. Added into the mix is the revelation to humans that these immortal species exists and it all adds up to a perfectly sound excuse for a sequel. Out-grossing the others in the series (most likely thanks to the premium charged for 3D movies) and what you have is a sequel whose success begets another sequel. And I think I am fine with that.
The Underworld saga, as entertaining as it often is though, still hasn’t quite hit the mark of a really solid film – or at this stage, the right accelerator which gave the Fast and the Furious franchise its wildly successful second wind.
Fifth times a charm?
Overall (Not an average)
3.5/5
Neil Middlemiss
Kernersville, NC
