Review of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) by Hoops2448 — 13 Dec 2011
While nowhere near as bad as the 2nd installment of the Underworld series it is still a toothless, soul sucking experience. The change in setting and time period actually help with the return of menacingly good villain Bill Nighy.
The loss of Kate Beckinsale can only be seen as a positive (although she does bookend the film) with a prequel story which knows how to have fun. Rise of the Lycans doesn't take itself seriously which is one of the main reasons its enjoyable.
However they have gone from one wooden female lead to another with Rhona Mitra's Sonja being just as useless and tiresome as Beckinsale's Selene. While bringing back Michael Sheen and making it an origins story does add a certain gravitas, it fails to wow or at least entertain mainly due to its clearly reduced budget, wooden female lead and depressingly bleak design.
Not awful but nowhere near great.
This review of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) was written by Hoops2448 on 13 Dec 2011.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans has generally received positive reviews.
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