UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS

US, 2009, 92 minutes, Colour.
Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, Kevin Grevioux, David Ashton.
Directed by Patrick Tatopoulos.

To what can we lycan this Underworld adventure? The previous two Underworlds, of course. However, for this reviewer, unskilled in keeping track of the history of the age-old conflict between vampires and werewolves, this was easily the best and the most intriguing. The first two films had very complicated plots which required quite some ingenuity (or Underworld loyalty) to work out, especially as they showed the past intervening in the present and the battles taking place both in history and the now.

The screenplay for this episode is quite straightforward. It is set in what looks like a medieval era. The Vampires rule – in a dark world, of course. The werewolves are outlawed, brute beasts who prey on stray vampires and besiege the castle. From the earlier films we know that there are Lycans, a mixed breed of humans and werewolves. These are the vampire's slaves, even Lucian (from the earlier films) who has been allowed to live and grow up in the palace of the ruler, Viktor.

As the film opens, we become aware that there is something of a Romeo and Juliet situation here – Lucian is in love with Viktor's daughter, Sonja, a haughty warrior if ever there was one. Viktor is jealous of authority and power and is not pleased at all. This gives rise to a Spartacus situation, where Lucian leads the slaves to revolt, is freely trapped into returning to rescue Sonja but who calls on the werewolves to come to the aid of the Lycans. He is helped by the ambitious lord, Tanis.

This means that one can sit back and follow the plot, marvel at the monsters and special effects (the specialty in all the films of the now director, Patrick Tatopoulos). The film is brief and tends to move at quite a pace.

However, one of the great advantages of the film is the cast, a literate group of British actors who give some gravitas to the proceedings and who speak articulately and with power. Michael Sheen was in the previous films but that was before his Tony Blair and David Frost performances. He is now the star of the show, Lucian, something of a beefed up comic-book hero (except when he transmogrifies into a raging werewolf) who makes dignified speeches. And Viktor is played, once again, by Bill Nighy, relishing every moment and every word. Steven Mackintosh is Tanis and Rhona Mitra, after her warrior prowess in Doomsday, is Sonja.

Never fear. The sequel looks probable as you can't keep a bad vampire down (despite appearances to the contrary).

1.The popularity of the series? The vampires? The Lycans? Their struggle? This story being a prequel? The return to the history of Lycans and vampires?

2.The audience and their knowledge of this history of Lycans and vampires? The struggles in the past, the modern day stories?

3.The mediaeval setting for this film, the look, the castle, dungeons, the vast rooms for the council? The vampires and their court? The Lycans, the prison, the torture? The humans and their town outside the domain of the vampires? Travelling in the woods, the mountains? The cliffs?

4.A dark world, of night, of the vampires? The atmospheric score?

5.The special effects for the vampires, for the Lycans and their transformations? For the battle sequences?

6.The history of Lycans and vampires, their being related, immortals? The vampire council, ruling the kingdom? Viktor as head? His liking for Lucian, having him as a slave, working, developing other Lycans and breeding? The humans and their travel to the vampires’ court, bringing tribute? The Death Dealers and their defence of the vampire kingdom against the wild Lycans? Sonja as leader? The humans’ visit, the dangers in the forest, the tribute, the family, the attack? Lucian and the defence?

7.Sonja as strong, Viktor’s daughter, her spurning of Lucian in public, her love for him? Tannis and his spying on Sonja’s visit to Lucian? Using this information later, against Viktor, leading them to safety? Sonja and her being taken, Lucian removing his collar, transforming into a Lycan, saving her? Viktor’s vindictive reaction?

8.The life of the slave Lycans, Raze and his role? The humiliation, the work, Lucian being whipped?

9.Sonja engineering the escape, for Lucian, for the other Lycans, Raze going with them? The difficulties, the fight, the ambush and the deaths? Tannis and his role? Viktor’s reaction, condemnation of Sonja, her announcing her pregnancy? Lucian allowing himself to be captured, going back, Viktor condemning his daughter, his watching Sonja and the light and her death?

10.Lucian and Viktor, the relationship, the father figure, becoming enemies, the discussion sequences? The final confrontation, fight, Viktor being wounded?

11.The council, the advice to Viktor, dealing with the humans, dealing with the Lycans, the Lycans’ power and transformation?

12.The Lycans in the woods, in the wild, the confrontations with Lucian, Lucian and his vanquishing them, becoming their leader? Their fighting? The staging of the battles? The attack, the conquering of the vampires? Lucian and the beginning of the clan? The vampires hibernating?

13.The glimpse of Serena – and the reminder that this was a prequel? And the other films are set in modern times? A satisfying explanation of the Lycan-vampire mythology?