Underworld-Rise of the Lycans – A Movie Review
Explores the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans.
Genres: Romance, Suspense/Horror, Thriller and Sequel; Running Time: 1 hr. 33 min.; Release Date: January 23rd, 2009 (wide); MPAA Rating: R for bloody violence and some sexuality.
Starring: Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Shane Brolly, Kevin Grevioux
Directed by: Patrick Tatopoulos
We had read some good reviews of this film, and although Lay and I have not been into this series, we decided to rent the DVD and watch this movie. It was something of a disappointment. I thought the storyline was fine, and I didn’t feel like I’d missed much having not seen the other two movies in the series.
Michael Sheen was not the right choice for the film for his part. Bill Nighy was perfect for his part, and even without the cataract contact lenses, he came across as cold and menacing. I liked him in Valkyrie and both the Pirates movies.
The movie did manage to drum up some the classic 1980s horror style, the special effects for the wolves frankly sucked, and the battle scenes came across as much less than epic.
The tone is everything! I really love the moody tone of the movie. Very effective in this type of movies. So, I guess it’s worth a watch, but unless you’re a fan of the series, it may leave you a little flat.
I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this movie. Of course, much of that enjoyment may have been derived from my love for Bill Nighy. The guy can do anything – comedy (Love, Actually), action (the Pirates movies) and even drama (Valkyrie).
Aldon, I obviously agree about Bill Nighy. He was the consummate military officer in Valkyrie, and was just chilling in this movie.