Underworld

Underworld 2003

• Director: Len Wiseman
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Shane Brolly, Sophia Myles, Robbie Gee, Kevin Grevioux
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:

o   Kate Beckinsale – Absolutely Anything, Total Recall, The Aviator, Serendipity, The Last Days of Disco, Shooting Fish, Cold Comfort Farm, Prince of Jutland, Much Ado about Nothing

o   Scott Speedman – My Life without Me 

o   Michael Sheen – Passengers, Far from the Madding Crowd, Doctor Who, Frost/Nixon, Blood Diamond, The Queen, Kingdom of Heaven, Bright Young Things, Wilde, Mary Reilly

o   Bill Nighy – The Bookshop, Their Finest, Hotel Marigold 1&2, Pride, About Time, Jack the Giant Slayer, Total Recall, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2, Doctor Who, Glorious 39, The Boat that Rocked, Valkyria, Pirates of the Caribbean, Hot Fuzz, Notes on a Scandal, Gideon’s Daughter, The Constant Gardener, The Girl in the Café, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Shaun of the Dead, Love Actually, Kiss Me Kate, Black Books, Longitude, Still Crazy

• Sophia Myles – Hallam Foe, Extras, Doctor Who, From Hell
• Robbie Gee – Pirates of the Caribbean

• Why? Bill Nighy
• Seen: 27 June 2020      

       Only vampire Selene (Beckinsale) understands the threat from the Lycans (werewolves) after a wild shootout in the London (or somewhere) underground.

       There is shooting, chasing, jumping off high buildings, family conflicts, romance, betrayal, treachery, heroics, secrets.

       Beckinsale is a bit too light-weight to carry the role as rebellious, kick-ass, gun-toting, form-fitting black leather clad, tyre squealing speeding hot chick but Nighy is perfectly bizarre (as only Nighy can be) in his role as ancient, powerful and more or less evil vampire.

       Can this ridiculous concept even work? Unexpectedly it can. The film is quite interesting with a racial conflict (i.e. vampires vs werewolves and never the twain shall interbreed) and the question of who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. There’s even a kind of warped anti-war (sort of) message. On the whole, quite entertaining.

3 ½ * of 5