LIKE a bad infection that won’t go away, some irritating conflicts just never end either.
Thirteen years on, the onscreen war between the elegant vampires and rugged werewolves, dubbed Lycans, continues with the fifth instalment of the Underworld franchise.
The supernatural action horror series follows the premise that the vampires and Lycans suffer from a viral blood disease that dates back to an ancestor who had three sons — two immortals, one with a bat and the other a wolf strain, and a regular Joe with a middle ground blood type.
Throughout the centuries, the immortal descendants have been battling to find the middling blood that could be used to create a hybrid that has none of the weaknesses of either vampire or Lycan.
All this to end the brutal stalemate.
Back in 2003, the first film had a Romeo And Juliet slant, with Kate Beckinsale as lethal vampire death dealer (Lycan hunter) Selene falling for Michael, who had that middling blood type.
Third movie, Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009), had an even more intense star-crossed lovers take as a prequel that explained a doomed romance between a vampire and Lycan — key characters whose fate would shape later events.
The last entry, Underworld: Awakening (2012), revealed that Selene had a daughter, who was a pure hybrid.
Phew! Lots of exposition was also given via narration at the start of Blood Wars.
Beckinsale is back as Selene, this time more stoic and sombre.
Aside from the action bits, her acting and delivery was akin to a stage play — serious business all the way.
The location shots of period European buildings and mansions in night time Prague, Czech Republic also served to add to the cold and dreary feel (it got even more obvious when the story headed on over to an icy northern location).
In the film, Selene has given up on her relationship with daughter Eve, to protect her.
Trouble is, everyone is looking for her and by extension, Selene, in order to get that juicy hybrid blood.
Selene, who has burnt bridges with her vampire clan that betrayed her from previous events, gets a little help from David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance).
The two vampires convince her to return to the last remaining clan to help fight the Lycan army, now led by a new leader, Marius (Tobias Menzies).
Team vampire also features the fiercely ambitious Semira (Lara Pulver), with a hidden agenda of her own.
The story eventually sees Selene and David heading north to the Nordic Vampire Clan in order to rally the troops for the oncoming battle.
Like a convoluted Shakespearean tragedy, there’s plenty of treachery, political manoeuvring and discoveries that will change the playing field.
Cinematographer and visual effects artist Anna Foerster, who worked on films like Independence Day (1996), Alien: Resurrection (1997) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004), makes her feature film directorial debut with Blood Wars.
Although the film looks great visually, the action seems a little restrained.
There are some nice touches here and there (and several gory spectacles as well) but nothing really stands out.
Perhaps most of the dazzling and kinetic fight sequences had already been showcased in previous films, so even though the scenes here are not bad per se, there is a sense of been-there-seen-that.
Creator and producer Len Wiseman had directed the first two movies which featured a strong feminine lead in Selene.
Foerster ramps up the female empowerment by dispensing with any romance with an ultra-brooding Beckinsale and showcases more emphasis on female characters at major plot points.
Suffice to say, Beckinsale fans should catch Blood Wars. Curious moviegoers and those who still have a yen for vampire-Lycan conflicts should also take note.
Regular viewers may be let down by the lack of any wit or humour in the storyline and dialogue.
The dour plot and the franchise’s dark and brooding blue lighting style (not to mention its slow pacing, punctuated
by action beats) will also make it a
tedious watch for non-fans, with an unexpected feeling that it drags on longer than its 92-minute duration.
The franchise remains solid though. Even before this film was completed, Wiseman had already revealed that a sixth one with Beckinsale on board was in development.
As Blood Wars ends with a teasing dream-induced scene of Selene’s daughter walking towards the camera, viewers can certainly expect more action, drama, deceit and family conflict.
Underworld, it seems, has still enough blood to spill and tales to tell.
OPENS TODAY
UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS
Directed by Anna Foerster
Starring Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Tobias Menzies, Trent Garrett, Lara Pulver, Peter Andersson, Clementine Nicholson, Bradley James, Charles Dance
Duration 92 minutes
Rating 18