Underwhelming Evolution
It’s becoming apparent that monster movies are evolving into a new genre. While once audiences watched the latest creature feature in the hopes of being frightened, today’s theatergoers want action – and a lot of it. Devoid of any true scares, “Underworld: Evolution” is the cinematic equivalent of a Saturday morning cartoon bender. A mixture of sugary-sweet action and plot conveniences, the sequel to 2003’s supernatural smackdown is a pleasantly moronic movie-going experience.
Kate Beckinsale: an actress so hot it's upsetting.
Kate Beckinsale reteams with writer/director husband Len Wiseman to continue the adventures of Selene, a rouge vampire caught in the midst of a war between vampires and werewolves.
Joining her is Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman) a vampire/werewolf hybrid who represents each clan’s next evolutionary step. Together, the two are on the run from both armies after slaying each fraction’s leaders in the first film.
As the sequel opens, dangling plot threads are explored when Marcus (Tony Curran), the original vampire, is reawakened. Looking to rebuild his lineage, Marcus seeks Selene, the key to locating his long-lost twin brother. Newcomers to the franchise may find it difficult to piece together the different characters and their motivations as concepts are quickly introduced and then skimmed over in favor of unrelenting action.
While the film’s plot is standard Hollywood fluff, “Underworld: Evolution” excels in its usage of special effects, animatronics and explosive action scenes.
Never distracting, computer graphics are blended with make-up and prosthetics to create the film’s monsters. Marcus’ costume is a wonderful achievement, looking like a cross between the star of Wes Craven’s “Wishmaster” and a spider. Resembling a Rick Baker creation, the film’s werewolves are a mixture of CGI and animatronics figures.
From the film’s opening prologue featuring a medieval battle between the warring monstrosities, audiences are quickly assured that they are in for a blood-soaked hullabaloo. The film offers carnage-crazed adrenaline junkies a handful of money shots – each gorier then the last. When I saw the film in the theater, several male audience members audibly cheered during the gruesome deaths showcased in the film’s finale.
“Underworld: Evolution” is a field trip through the excess. Those who remembered to bring their permission slips will be treated to a lengthy sex scene that borders on soft-core and enough ammunition to send Charlton Heston into a daze. “Underworld: Evolution” is, quite frankly, bigger and meatier then any previous supernatural action film. But is it better?
Much like eating a nice big bowl of cereal, watching “Evolution” may go down good and it will certainly leave a sweat aftertaste, but after a few hours to digest, audiences will be left feeling the effects of a slight sugar headache. The film’s plot offers nothing substantial and merely serves as dressing for the explosive action salad. The plot is as thin as a slice of single cheese, with enough holes to be considered Swiss. Convenience seems to be the film’s main ingredient and in a movie where the heroine never seems to be without significant ammo and nighttime seems to last a lifetime, logic is passed over in favor of a large heaping of nonsense biscuits.
The film’s acting ranges from the subdued to the superfluous. While the actors need not worry about winning a Razzie (the film will surely have been forgotten by then), they are also in no danger of being complimented. With everything but action seemingly phoned in, “Underworld: Evolution” is a great way to pass the time while cleaning your guns.
I saw it! That movie totally rocked! Beckinsale was hot, especially with the catsuit, cool leather trenchcoat and automatic weapons.