Hey folks, Harry here... Remember all those pics we had on UNDERWORLD that made it look like it might possibly be a cool movie? The synopsis and character descriptions? Remember when you thought that a Kate would make a sweet sucker in leather? Well... They had a tiny test screening in Los Angeles... and guess what, our spy, Lakebeast was there... From the sound of it... Our gut feeling that the film was cool, is right. Sounds like UNDERWORLD is turning out mighty fine!
Hey Harry,
I live in L.A. and last Thursday attended a screening (I believe it was the first time the film was shown ever) of Underworld. It was in a screening room at a facility where the director Len Weisman had been working on the edit. He spoke for a minute before the movie and explained the print we were going to see had been blown up off of the avid and the resolution would be poor. Also many sound and visual effects, color correcting, music were not yet complete. There were only maybe 25-30 people there.
I really liked this movie, but then again Werewolves are my favorite monster....and they are fighting Vampires....yes please! The film borrows heavily from Matrix, Crow, Dark City, but so what, I like all those movies.
The flick begans as a group of Vampires (led by Selene played by Kate Beckensdale) called the death dealers are out tracking a group of Werewolves (called Lycans) who are in turn targeting a human being (Scott Speedman).
The scene goes underground to the subway where a major fight/shoot out occurs. The Vamps trying to take out the Lycans who are trying to catch the human. It turns out the Lycans have been trying to combine Vampire and Werewolf DNA (at one point a character says "Even at a molecular level they destroy each other"). Turns out the human they have been tracking has the genetics to allow the combination to happen. The head Lycan Lucian is upset they didn't get the human so decides the only way to get the job done is to go himself. Lucian also breaks up two Lycans in wrestling in wolf form for the amusment of the other Lycan, I thought that was a nice touch.
Meanwhile Selene had been investigating things on her own and finds the human's apartment just as he arrives home and the Lycans move in for the kill, after a crazy fight scene (very Matrix/Hong Kong inspired) she manages to escape and saves the human but not before he is bit (and I mean chomped on) by Lucian. After the encounter Selene realizes who Lucian is and the Vampires believed he had been killed by Kahn (who is in charge of the Vampires and has the hots for Selene).
There are lots of plot twists and turns, if you are really interested let me know and I will try to give you a "blow by blow". But the film is very cool. There are new fangled weapons both sides have like guns that shoot bullets loaded with liquid silver so it goes right into the bloodstream. There is a great fight scene between a big ole badass werewolf and a Vampire fighting with whips ala Indiana Jones. Lots of sweet shots of Werewolves crawling down hallway walls ala Aliens. I was a bit confused at times about what the Vampire powers are and I don't really remember how Kahn, one of the leads even died.
The direction is really good, but it's alot to download in just one viewing. I would've liked to see more of a scene where some Vampire elders are arriving via train and are ambushed by the Lycans, didn't seem like the Vamps put up any kind of a fight even though another Elder Victor is a total bad ass (at one point he graps a Wolf by the throat and does the old lift and tear). What happens to Victor is pretty cool too but I don't want to spoil it.
At this stage the transformations looked pretty cheesy and lots of post production is needed (especially the Werewolves!!). They were still plenty of scenes where you can see all the wires attached to the actors!! But overall the movie kicks ass, I think Len Weisman is going to have future in film.
Genre fans can start getting excited for Underworld!!! Hope this was helpful or interesting or informative or something!!
Take Care,
Lakebeast
