Customer Reviews

Underworld (2-Disc Unrated Extended Cut)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This is a fun action movie - this review is not of the movie itself, but the "unrated" DVD version. There is nothing in this film that would change the rating anyway - it's just schlocky marketing of the worst sort.

The extras are a joke. The extra film footage is just some gratuitous sexual footage (and precious little of that) about a sub plot we already knew existed in the theatrical version of the film!

THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN THE FILM THAT WARRANTED A SPECIAL RELEASE!

Buy the much less expensive theatrical release, or better yet, punish these jerks for what they've done and borrow the movie from a friend, denying them the money they so desperately want.

Blade was interesting, but to me it failed emotionally. You just do not connect with the film on the personal level. The effects were super, but that was the main impact..."wow what amazing effects". You feel like breaking out in a chorus of Peggy Lee's Is That All There Is. Special effects alone cannot make a movie great.

Underworld makes that jump, great FX work, but also gives you characters you really care about, ones that you really love to hate. A strong plot line designed to hook you and keep you, just does that. With the emotional involvement, there is a greater impact, a movie that will demand repeat viewing. Instant Cult Status.

The movie grabs you from the opening and never lets up with the pace. Firm direction and with a driving score, the movie reaches for perfection. You have a 1000-year-old war between Lycons and Vampires, and it's all coming to a head. It's a well thought out and executed premise and Kate Beckinsale shines! She is an amazing talent. I first adored her work in Cold Comfort Farm as Robert Post's child Flora. When you compare that gentle, deft bit of humour with this kick a*** vampire hunter, it proves what an overlooked talent she is. With Van Helsing out now (and I am sure this movie led to her landing the role), she is finally getting a spotlight she so well deserves.

A gloomy, atmospheric ambiance to the whole movie is maintained all the way through, adding a strong foundation for the otherworld premise. I am sure some will nitpick things, as all vampire film faces, but kudos for the vibrant energy and sheer edgy feel to the film.

It leaves you hanging, clearly open for a sequel...one can but hope it maintains this high quality.

Kate rocks...you don't need to know anymore! It has about 13 minutes of footage not in the original. A great battle scene and some backstory on Michael. Rounds out the film nicely without dragging it down.

If you're like me, you are really - really - getting tired of producers, film compaines, whomever there is to blame re-re-re-releasing the same DVD with different packaging, and calling it the "Ultimate" or "Supreme" or "this time it really is a Limted edition" special releases. The motivation? Raking it in from fans who expect and want more. You'd be better off spending your bucks elsewhere.

There is NOTHING to make this DVD stand out from the original release. I was looking for extended fight scenes. Nope. OK, how about more history or plot? Nope. The extra footage really should have stayed on the cutting room floor. You WILL not be happy if you already own the original release and waste your money on this lame release.

A stupid, dull, talky, non-action flick aimed at pseudo trendy d*ckheads. It's hard to describe in words how boring this piece of Gothic tripe is. As for the "Fangs and Fiction" 45-minute doco. If you are expecting a crackerjack, supercool documentary on vampires and werewolves throughout cinema history incorporating the beasties from Hammer, Amicus, Universal, Columbia, etc. studios... FORGET IT! Aside from very brief snippets of Lugosi, Max Schreck (Nosferatu), and footage from UNDERWORLD, all you get is interviews with modern-day weirdos who think they are vampires and werewolves (the brain-dead as opposed to the UNdead) and people who have seen werewolves around the corner from their house, and vampires in cemeteries. Oh yeah, some ditzy Dutch deejay with ample body piercing and tattoos who figures he is a vampire and regrets the fact that he can't discuss blood-drinking with de common folk. Also a Goth bimbo who will have us believe that she only drinks the blood of "special" people (Non-smokers and vegetarians?). They wear an insignia around their scrawny necks that identifies them to like-minded bores. Then there's the guy named "Gypsy" who actually turns into a werewolf but he wont do it on camera because it is too tiring! Ummmm....YEAH! Change hands,Gypsy!! This is a never-watch-again featurette that is an insult to people with even ONE working brain cell. Somebody seemed to forget that vampires and werewolves are creatures of myth, legend and superstition. There is a heap of informative stuff about the making of this piece of cinematic doggy-doo (probably more than you need) in a very attractive package. It's what dvd is all about but more than THIS turkey deserves. The few sporadic bursts of action can't save the film but skinny, pastey-faced, empty-headed Marilyn Manson fans might find some worth here to feed their tiny minds. I kick myself for even watching this... but if I didn't, then I couldn't warn you about what a waste of time it is. I consider it my civic duty and my good deed for the day to expose this total dreck for what it is.....TOTAL DRECK!!

23 minutes of new/remixed material, the glossy slipcase boasts. New bonus features, it boasts. Don't be a fool (as I was) and allow an attractive package to convince you that you need to buy yet another version of a pre-existing DVD. I, for one, am getting rather sick of this "release-one-version-then-release-another-one-six-months-later" deal that movie studios and DVD distributors pull to squeeze even more money from our pockets--I'd much rather wait extra-long for a definitive version of something than buy multiple versions of it. I am not the biggest "Underworld" fan, either, but what this version had to offer seemed intriguing--considerably less so when I watched the actual film. The recut/new scenes are mostly pointless filler, adding additional weight to an already heavy film, and do nothing to further develop characters or enrich the plot. "Underworld" plays best as a guilty-pleasure in the vein of "Ghosts of Mars"--put your logic on the back burner for a few hours and just obliterate your senses with some art-directed action. Those fans of "The Crow" will undoubtedly love this cooler-looking version--complete with a comic- and storyboard book--but for the more casual viewer, I'd merely stick with the stripped down, original DVD release, which is sufficient, and undoubtedly cheaper.

Directed by Len Wiseman, starring Kate Beckinsdale and Scott Speedman and largely filmed in Budapest, "Underworld" hit the big screen in 2003. It's a very stylish `monster' movie, though - a little unusually - humans are neither the heroes nor the victims. (The film doesn't stop for 'lunch').

Beckinsdale plays Selene, our 'heroine' and the 'good' vampire. She's a Death Dealer - a vampire soldier - in a war against werewolves that has lasted for around a thousand years. As time has passed, the weapons used by both races have been updated - there are no stakes or crossbows in sight, while the traditional silver bullet has been modified. The current battles are being waged with throwing stars, guns and grenades - all enhanced to target the specific weaknesses of the intended victim. However, tradition hasn't been entirely sacrificed - vampires are still stylish and pale, while the vampire clan still lives in an old-fashioned, classy mansion. (Like the weapons, however, it does incorporate some 'modern' aspects). Selene very much looks to Viktor for guidance - Viktor is one of the vampires' three elders and something of a father figure to Selene. However, as the film opens, he is in hibernation and the day-to-day running of the vampires' affairs are in Kraven's hands. Kraven, somewhat power-hungry, also has designs on Selene - however, she ins't even remotely interested - she regularly disobeys his instructions and doesn't believe a great deal of what he has to say.

Werewolves have officially been on the defensive for around 600 years, since Kraven killed their greatest leader, Lucien. However, they have never been fully defeated and, from early in the film, it seems the vampires have been lulled into a false sense of security. As well as the updated weapons, werewolves - or lycans, as they're known throughout the film - can now transform at will and no longer have to wait on the full moon. They appear to be in full control of their actions and can also heal more quickly while in wolf form. Where the vampires are pale and stylish, the werewolves are more animal-like and live underground. However, this hasn't stopped them performing 'medical research', with a particular interest in a family called Corvin. As the film opens, a couple of werewolves are stalking Speedman's character, a doctor called Michael Corvin. Selene, who's been on patrol and sees what's happening, is puzzled by this - it's clear the werewolves aren't just hunting for food. Her interest develops much further as the film progresses to the point of romance. This brings her a great deal of trouble when it becomes apparent the werewolves have 'turned' Michael. (It's also brought the comparisons with 'Romeo and Juliet' - a romance between two warring houses). As a result of the romance, she learns a great deal more about the origins of war and the night she was sired by Viktor.

This is a very enjoyable and stylish film, with some very impressive special effects. Although technically, I suppose, it's a 'supernatural' movie, there's a strong thriller element to it, with plenty of gunfights, political intruige, treachery, twists and turns...and if that's not enough, it's also got Kate Beckinsdale !! Absolutely recommended for those who love vampire movies. However, despite the comparisons with 'Romeo and Juliet', I can't really see it convincing your Shakespeare-loving aunt to start watching the Hammer films.

I THINK THE MAIN REASON WHY PEOPLE DIDNT LIKE THIS MOVIE WAS THAT THEY JUST DIDNT UNDERSTAND IT. ITS INDEED VERY COMPLICATED AND MAYBE A LITTLE DEEPER THAN MOST WILL EXPECT. THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THE FILM IS THAT IT FEELS MORE LIKE THE 8TH INSTALLMENT IN A SERIES THAN THE FIRST. WE ARE FORCED TO TRY AND COMPREHEND ENDLESS AND DETAILED BACKSTORIES, MOST OF WICH IS SAID AND NOT SHOWN MAKING IT EVEN HARDER TO REMEMBER WHO DID WHAT TO WHO. THE ACTING IS ABOVE AVERAGE WITH THE MOST OBVIOUS STAND OUT BEING MICHAEL SHEEN WHO STEALS THE SHOW WITHOUT EVEN TRYING. KATE BECKINSALE IS PASSABLE BUT SEEM A LITTLE SLUGISH IN HER PERFORMANCE AS SELEN, AND SCOTT SPEEDMAN CERTAINLY DESERVED A LITTLE MORE SCREEN TIME (WHICH CAN BE SAID FOR MOST ACTORS IN THIS FILM) ALL IN ALL ITS ENTERTAINMENT BUT I CANT SAY IM LOOKING FORWARD TO TOO MANY SEQUELS.

I have to admit that I was not impressed by the trailers and previews shown months b4 the release.
In fact I had to be dragged by my significant other to see this.
She loves high octane action flicks with fancy camera work gothic settings and a strong female lead...suffice to say she was sold.
By the time the credits rolled I had to eat my words and wonder why the hell the fanboys werent feeling the same kind of love we did watching it.
I can understand the elite or the general public hating it but this movie was built around a fanboys super geek id!
I know because I am a cynical super geek myself and despite Underworlds faults they still managed not only to make a really cool looking flick but they also did something new with the idea of both vamps and wolves while still having an even further amazing plot and backstory!!!! <Make sure if you do like this movie that you seek out the 2 disc directors version granted it doesnt add too much but there is enough in it to keep you busy for hours.
The double dipping trend in dvds and cds the studios use to make more money off their investment is shamefull so do your research people if you like an artist or film look around on the web and in circulars in your local Sunday papers

I loved this movie. However, if you're someone who has to have every nuance of the plot spelled out for them, its probably going to get on your nerves. You have to think in order to get the connections and understand the implications of events. Overall, its a great story and I look forward to the sequal (and prequal).

When I saw the movie poster a couple weeks before Underworld came out I knew I would like it, but I never had the opportunity to see it in theaters. Instead I had to wait to see it on video at a party and it was everything I had expected it to be, soaked in atmosphere and loud. Action packed? Yes. Romantic? No. Don't expect it to be a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, although the general elements are there.

As the movie opens we are told that Vampires and Werewolves have been at war with each other for 'the better part of a thousand years.' And to illustrate that point the Vampires and Werewolves battle out in a subway station for the first twenty or so minutes. The only surviving Vampire from this encounter, Selene, discovers a den of werewolves hidden beneath the city. and with that discovery she also uncovers a conspiracy between the vampire leader, Kraven, and the werewolf leader, Lucian, that involves a human named Michael, who is due to show his true nature at the next full moon. Fearing that Kraven's actions may place the vampires in jeopardy, Selene does the unthinkable - bypassing protocol, she awakens the ancient vampire noble, Viktor, from a mummified coma, so he can stop Kraven.

The strengths of the movie lie in its visuals. The costumes, the sets, the action, they all rock. Since the action sequences take place in the first and last quarters these are the most involving parts of the movie. When the action transpires through dialogue the movie slows down, although what is left of the visuals definitely keeps the movie interesting to watch. The acting is virtually non-existant. Everyone is playing types so it isn't hard to pull off. The only one who is annoying to watch is Kraven, who twists his face a few times too often. Kate Beckinsale will probably find more than one fan with her appearance in 'the body condom.' As for the chemistry between the characters? Well, like I said, its not a romance, but they still manage to fit in a kiss that makes absolutely no sense.

Well, some people like me will be obsessed with the movie, trying to suck every detail out of everything. As a work of art it isn't a masterpiece but it is definitely entertaining.