The ‘Underworld’ franchise has a bit of a reputation as a guilty pleasure.
It’s violent and chock-full of adventure, but there’s always been something there that keeps far too many fans from acknowledging just how enjoyable the franchise can be.
And yet, how can you not love a vampire vs werewolf (called Lycans here) showdown where the main protagonist is a female traitor vamp and all around ball-breaker?
Selene is back in ‘Blood Wars’, still more than happy to shuffle any attacker off the supernatural, not-so mortal coil in a hail of bullets and ridiculously cool moves. She’s still in that overabundance of leather, and she’s still kicking all of the ass.
The seemingly eternal war hasn’t been kind to the Vampires. Their Clans are falling to the Lycans far too quickly, and it’s increasingly clear that the current Death Dealers (their Lycan hunting warriors) are ill-prepared for the task awaiting them.
The Lycans are becoming an ever-increasing threat, adapting to the war in a way the Vampires haven’t. For Semira, one of the few surviving Council members, the truth is a bitter pill to swallow: if the Vampires are to survive, they’ll need the help of their ultimate Death Dealer. They’ll need to pardon Selene.
But with the wolves quite literally at the door, can Selene and her latest sidekick David trust the beings who wanted Selene dead, and who have actively tried to make it happen?
‘Blood Wars’ is an action flick in constant, sometimes gruesome, motion, a blend of myth and tech that’s a lot of fun to watch. Newcomers to the franchise are given a strong ‘here’s what you’ve missed’ starting point (also useful for those who haven’t had a chance to re-watch all the old flicks), so you’re not going to be utterly baffled if you haven’t seen them all.
It’s the sort of movie that’s easy to follow, filled with pretty scenery, and a great cast of characters played with zeal.
Selene’s tragic backstory isn’t used as titillation for the audience (which seems to be a growing pop culture trend when it comes to heroines), but to actually inform her motivations. Kate Beckinsale, as always, plays the role like she was born to it.
Lara Pulver, who clearly has a knack for playing the femme fatale characters, seems like she had a lot of fun playing Semira. In fact, it seems like the cast had a lot of fun donning the leathers and whacking each other with swords.
Look, let’s be honest here: ‘Underworld’ certainly isn’t Shakespeare, but some days you just want to watch Kate Beckinsale put bullets through people’s faces, or beat them until they cry or die. And with the ever-changing CGI and effects, those blood baths get more epic with every movie.
It’s not the best flick if you’re squeamish about internal bits exploding across the screen, but if you get a chuckle out of that kind of thing, ‘Blood Wars’ is a great way to spend a couple of hours.
★★★★☆
