UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS
UK/US, 2016, 91 minutes, Colour.
Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Lara Pulver, Charles Dance, Tobias Menzies, Bradley James, Daisy Head, James Faulkner.
Directed by Anna Foerster.
This is the fifth film in the cab underworld series, which is lasted well over a decade. It is not a film to make converts – a bit late because there is so much background from the previous films to be absorbed to make sense of this one.
So, it is definitely a film for the fans, just the 90 minutes, not overstaying its welcome, plenty of the same ingredients – but a plotline which is much more direct, less convoluted than before.
Basically, the film lives up to it title, this is a Blood Wars conflict, several rather blood in gory battles, and a climax where it is clear from the film that the vampires are the goodies and the lichens are the baddies – the vampires being, on the whole, very civilised in their way of speaking, their behaviour (though not without their traitors) and the lichens are vicious werewolves who burst out of their human skins to become giant, aggressive beastly dogs.
The heroine of all the films, Kate Beckinsale is Celine, seems to be at peace after the previous episodes, lamenting the death of her lover Michael, regretfully having to leave her daughter, a girl of mixed vampire and lichen blood, who becomes the prey of the Lycan chief who wants to get her blood to become all-powerful.
Speaking of all-powerful, there is a very sultry villain S, semi era, (a seductive Lara Pulver) who wants revenge against Celine, persuades the vampire leader, Thomas (Charles Dance) to get Celine and his son David (Theo James) to come to one of the remaining vampire mansions. Celine is to train the vampire soldiers for conflict against the Lichens.
With all that mention intrigue, Celine and David go north to another vampire mansion in the snow and ice. The lichens have a vampire spy and so attack in the North – with a surprise conquering of Celine by Marius (Tobias Menzies) the Lycan who is seeking domination.
So, back to the original mansion, some era thinking she has the upper hand, only to be confronted by David, betrayed by her lover, but saved, momentarily, by another Lycan attack – and the resurrection of Celine.
Happy ever after? The possibility – but taking the story further is also a possibility…
1. The popularity of the Underworld series? Audiences familiar with the characters, the traditions, the horror styles? Vampires and Lycans? Into the 21st century? Conflicts?
2. Audience familiarity with the folklore about Vampires, the kingdom, at night, the few colonies left in the 21st century? The role of the Lycans, the werewolf tradition, animal and brutal compared with the civilised vampires? The intermingling over the centuries?
3. The Underworld world, its look, dark, the mansions with the vampires, night, the interiors, the north? The gathering of the Lycans? Special effects, action sequences? Musical score?
4. The title, the wars, the personalities, goals – and hopes for peace?
5. Seline, the heroine, her past? Her love for Michael? The birth of the daughter? Growing up, the mixed blood, her being the target of the Lycans to supplement their blood and their power? Seline separating from her daughter, not knowing where she was, to protect her? The role of David, the issue of peace? The Lycan leader and his attack?
6. David and Selene, David and his relationship with his father, Thomas in the tradition of the vampires? The discussions with Semira, her persuading him to talk to the Council, her machinations, manipulations, David and Selene returning? The role of Selene, training the troops? Semirar, wanting vengeance, her lover and his attack on Selene, the killing of the vampire soldiers? The fight, Thomas giving his life, David and Selene escaping?
7. Travelling to the north, the colony, the refuge, the vampires and their welcome? Marius, the attack of the Lycans, in human form, in werewolf form, gigantic? The battle, the deaths? The fight in the ice, Marius and Selene, her going under the ice with the possibility for new life? Her return?
8. David, declaration of his ancestry, the blood, is being accepted as the king? The confrontation with Semira, Semira wanting power, drinking the blood, the vampire in love with Marius, her return with the information, Semira killing her?
9. The final attack, David and his strategy, the fight within the mansion? The Lycans, the brutality? Selene’s return, the final confrontation with Cassius and his death? Semira’s death?
10. The restoration of order, Semira’s lover and his turning against her with loyalty to the Council?
11. David, the restoration, peace in the future?
