Underworld: Awakening

Before I start this post let me say, probably for the 100th time, but I'll say it again, there is a lot of product out there on the market. In some ways I wish I could see all of these movies coming out but as I get older I find myself getting more and more picky about what I actually want to see in the movie theatre. I swear before I had my son I didn't have this particular problem. I saw a trailer I liked it enough I saw the movie, it was always that easy. Now I end up having a ritual where I see multiple trailers maybe read a review or two, hem and haw for a week or so and then maybe see the movie. But more often then not lately I've been passing on most things. My brother was in town last week and he apparently loves these Underworld Movies. I like them a lot myself but not apparently as much as my brother cause I saw the trailer and I did my usual hem and haw and thought I would pass. But since he seemed so hyped up on the prospect we set our sights on the Vampire Lycan war movie. To be honest the real reason to see any of these Underworld movies is for Kate Beckinsale, good Lord the woman is gorgeous. And to see her in Wonderful 3D, even better.

This is the Fourth film in the series but in actuality it's a sequel to the second film. I skipped the Rise of the Lycans movie it just seemed kind of dumb, plus no Kate. Anyway if you haven't seen the previous flicks I'll break them down for you quickly. Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is called a "Death Dealer" or Vampire. She is a warrior and in the first film was looking to exact some revenge on the werewolves, or Lycans, for killing her human family. The war between the Vampires and Lycans rages on until she discovers a man descended from the first Vampire and first Lycan, Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman, except in this movie), Michael carries both DNA  strains of Vampire and Lycan blood and when he is bit by both he becomes the first Hybrid. The Lycans want him to wipe out the Vamps, the Vamps just want to wipe him out. Selene falls for the guy and discovers that the Lycans didn't wipe out her family her Father Figure Vampire Victor did. She kills Victor and runs off with Michael. In the second film the two of them are on the run and end up fighting Marcus Corvinus the first Vampire, a super bad ass who has giant fucking bat wings. Michael hulks out and kills Corvinus and that sets up that un-necessary pre-quel, which we will skip and go right on to the now. 

So we start out with Selene and Michael on the run as always but they get blown up and separated. Selene finds herself encased in some kind of Carbonite. She also discovers she's lost about 12 years. She can't seem to find Michael and she's even more pissed off now cause she's being hunted by humans who apparently have figured out about the war between the Lycans and the Vampires and are now looking to wipe them all out. There are a few small twists in the story but for the most part this is just a bang'em up and slam'em down action flick. Selene is trying to piece together the time she lost as well as try to find out what happened to Michael and it would seem she also has a physical reminder of Michael running around, in the form of a 12 year old girl, Eve (India Eisley), who is linked to both her parents in a special way. She can also transform like her pop into a hybrid Vampire/Lycan that can kick some major ass. Selene gets some help from a sympathetic cop, Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy) and a battle ready Vamp named David (Theo James). They come together to fight the very cruel Dr. Jacob Lane (Stephen Rea).

The 3D is pretty good and I liked the way they used it. Not too in your face but effective for sense of space, very similar to the way the last Harry Potter was done. I also liked that it had a sense of fun too, the action was exciting and I really enjoyed Selene's blow out battle with the bad ass super Lycan at the end. The effects were pretty great too except for the short scenes with Michael which we're supposed to believe is Scott Speedman, it felt like a rush job. They tried to make the stand-in actor look like him using some digital fakes but it was pretty clear it wasn't him.  Even so it didn't distract too much from the movie. It's not overly heavy on dialogue and frankly it's pretty similar to the second one so story wise it isn't that compelling or deep but if you're looking to have a good time with a fun action romp with Vampires and Werewolves and Kate Beckinsale in skin-tight leather then there isn't any reason why you shouldn't see this in 3D. 

Grade: 3 Buckets