There are going to be some people out there who will be quick to judge this film as ‘just another action film’, but they really need to lighten up because while Underworld: Awakening is top-heavy with action is does do what it sets out to do – entertain it’s audience.
When the humans conduct a Nazi-like blitz on Vampire and Lycan alike the two species now find themselves the hunted. When Selene (Kate Beckinsale – Contraband, Everybody’s Fine) is captured she finds herself waking up years later in a facility run by Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea – Stella Days, Roadkill) who is conducting experiments left, right and centre. When Selene escapes she finds that both Vampires and Lycan have gone underground and in a bid to survive she must protect Eve (India Eisley – Headspace, TV’S The Secret Life Of An American Teenager) (who will be a big surprise for fans of the series) and work with Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy – Margaret, Uncoditional), a detective who knows that vampires and Lycans aren’t extinct and David (Theo James – The Inbetweeners Movie, Room At The Top), a young people who wants Vampires to once again rise to the top.
Directors, Mans Marlind (Shelter, Snapphanar) and Bjorn Stein (same) make this film work but not trying to make out it is something that it isn’t. The story is enough to keep action junkies happy (and fans of the series) but certainly isn’t strong, therefore Marlind and Stein allow the film to shine by making it look good on the big screen. The special effects and action sequences look spectacular and are more than enough to keep your eyes peeled as you wait to see what happens next.
Once again Beckinsale shines in this role and it is during this film that you realise that she has overtaken Angelina Jolie as the number one action-actress. The other winners here are Michael Ealy who gets enough screen time to show some attitude and Theo James, who could well be the next Hollywood hunk about to make it big.
If you’re a fan of the series you’ll love Underworld: Awakening, if you’re new to the series though this isn’t the film for you. An above average action film!!!
Year: 2012
Director: Bjorn Stein, Mans Marlind
Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, India Eisley, Michael Ealy, Theo James
Classification: MA15+
Runtime: 88 mins
Rating: 