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It Wasn't That Bad...
Jan. 21st, 2006 06:12 pm...and if you got past some of the desperately poor acting in places, Underworld: Evolution was actually worth watching.
The film picks up very much where it left off, almost in real time, and proceeds to develop what actually becomes quite an intersting plot (the fact there is a plot at all comes as a surprise to me) as it is released in short bursts throughout the film. It leaves itself wide, wide open for another one if they decide to do it, but equally provides a decent end point if they decide there isn't enough money/interest/there is a world shortage of black PVC/Kate & Len have an argument etc.
A star turn/chunky cameo by Derek Jacobi knocks spots off the rest of the main cast, but there are at least some decent points in flashbacks, where Bill Nighy does his best Captain Kirk once again and brings some class to the affair. I've seen the guy who plays Markus in other things before (mainly on TV) and didn't rate him too highly, and this didn't do much to change the opinion, but he was passable as an arch badass, especially in his "ugly" form complete with wings - must have come from the hybridisation. He seems as surprised to have them as everyone else.
The action sequences were good, if a little patchy where the CGI kicks in for the higher speed vampire cavalry/feral werewolf combat sequences, and enough blood spatters everywhere - both from off-camera and on - to satisfy most gore fans.
On the whole, if you enjoyed the original, it's probably worth going to see this to find out how a lot of the plot hooks are resolved, but unless you're a fan, it isn't exactly going to win oscars. Every time British companies try to make supernatural/horror/fantasy thrillers, they seem to be struck with the bug of trying to get their screen talent to act too much, consequently taking themselves far too seriously and making the entire thing misfire. Compare 28 Days Later to Resident Evil - one tried to get intelligent and all it achieved was a damning portayal of the British Army, the other was a almost comical gorefest full of rampant silliness and gratuitous violence that never once took itself seriously. Both were good in their own way, but if I want intelligence, I'll watch a political thriller.
The film picks up very much where it left off, almost in real time, and proceeds to develop what actually becomes quite an intersting plot (the fact there is a plot at all comes as a surprise to me) as it is released in short bursts throughout the film. It leaves itself wide, wide open for another one if they decide to do it, but equally provides a decent end point if they decide there isn't enough money/interest/there is a world shortage of black PVC/Kate & Len have an argument etc.
A star turn/chunky cameo by Derek Jacobi knocks spots off the rest of the main cast, but there are at least some decent points in flashbacks, where Bill Nighy does his best Captain Kirk once again and brings some class to the affair. I've seen the guy who plays Markus in other things before (mainly on TV) and didn't rate him too highly, and this didn't do much to change the opinion, but he was passable as an arch badass, especially in his "ugly" form complete with wings - must have come from the hybridisation. He seems as surprised to have them as everyone else.
The action sequences were good, if a little patchy where the CGI kicks in for the higher speed vampire cavalry/feral werewolf combat sequences, and enough blood spatters everywhere - both from off-camera and on - to satisfy most gore fans.
On the whole, if you enjoyed the original, it's probably worth going to see this to find out how a lot of the plot hooks are resolved, but unless you're a fan, it isn't exactly going to win oscars. Every time British companies try to make supernatural/horror/fantasy thrillers, they seem to be struck with the bug of trying to get their screen talent to act too much, consequently taking themselves far too seriously and making the entire thing misfire. Compare 28 Days Later to Resident Evil - one tried to get intelligent and all it achieved was a damning portayal of the British Army, the other was a almost comical gorefest full of rampant silliness and gratuitous violence that never once took itself seriously. Both were good in their own way, but if I want intelligence, I'll watch a political thriller.
