Synopsis:
The time of Underworld: Awakening brings the Underworld saga to a time when humanity still exists, and the Synthetic Lure lets them know there are vampires and Lycans, causing blood baths against both of these races. The film starts as Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is imprisoned captive by humans and stays in cryogenic slumber for more than ten years. After she comes out of it, she is in an entirely weird world where humans have almost wiped out the vampires and lycans.
Selene gets out of the laboratory and starts investigating that she had a child, named Eve (India Eisley), who is a hybrid and the daughter of Selene and Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman). But Eve is pursued by the idut Chetm and the residues of the Lycan which aren’t as impotent as people believed. Included in the pack was that of the genetically altered Lycan and it became more pressing.
Even as Selene embarks on a sleek new path balancing motherhood and uncovering the mystery behind the return of the Lycans, she has to learn the bitter truth about the whereabouts of the vampires she literally fought against, as they are on the verge of extinction and monitor her. The film’s stirring action revolves around Selene trying to take her place as the inhabited killer Death Dealer, only now she has to cope with more civil problems of her hybrid daughter’s caretaking responsibilities.
Awards & Wins:
Underworld: Awakening did not win major film awards but was successful in appealing to the franchise’s core fanbase. It was noted for its use of 3D effects and high-octane action sequences, though it did not receive significant critical acclaim.
Cast & Crew:
- Directors: Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein
- Main Cast:
- Kate Beckinsale as Selene – The vampire warrior who must protect her hybrid daughter and fight against humans and Lycans.
- Stephen Rea as Dr. Jacob Lane – A human scientist with secret ambitions involving the Lycans.
- Michael Ealy as Detective Sebastian – A human detective who becomes an ally to Selene.
- Theo James as David – A vampire who helps Selene in her battle.
- India Eisley as Eve – Selene’s daughter, a hybrid of both vampire and Lycan blood.
- Charles Dance as Thomas – David’s father, a vampire elder who seeks to maintain the survival of the vampire species.
- Screenplay: Len Wiseman, John Hlavin, J. Michael Straczynski, Allison Burnett
- Cinematography: Scott Kevan
- Music: Paul Haslinger
IMDb Ratings:
- IMDb Score: 6.3/10
- The film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics but remained popular among fans of the franchise. Critics praised the fast-paced action and Kate Beckinsale’s return as Selene but noted that the plot felt somewhat repetitive and lacked the depth of earlier installments.
Personal Insights:
Underworld: Awakening reinvigorates the franchise by introducing a futuristic, dystopian twist, where humans have become conscious of the centuries-old war amongst vampires and Lycans. Such change in the bloom brings more dynamism into the motion picture as this time; Selene is not battling only the Lycans but has humans to fight against as well. Nonetheless, the narrative does not go deep into the mythology that the previous ones utilized in enhancing the awesomeness of each installment. Awakening primarily is all about action and grand spectacle, which is to the dismay of the fans who felt that some unnecessary lore and character development was done in the previous installments.
The overwhelming strength of this film can be attributed to Kate Beckinsale reprising her role of Selene. She makes the character look jaw-droppingly fierce as well as performing the role and adding the character of a daughter to Selene, wipes her out. This mother daughter bond adds necessary compassion to the film offering new growth for Selene as people admire bodies more.
Excessive application of 3D effects and CGI is well applied to the fighting scenes in the film making Awakening energetic and stylish than its past versions. The genetically engineered Lycans are especially terrifying than before more frightening and presents a different warfare for Selene to fight against.
Though Backstory and Lore may not be as rich as Rise of the Lycans and the Original Underworld , Underworld: Awakening does manage to flesh out the franchise with is tiring action and more ominous feel. This is likely to please the fans of the series though the little attention given to character development and over-dependence on action might frustrate those who would want something deeper in terms of the storyline.
It is also a prelude to the sequels, as it suggests that Michael may be alive and his hybrid model will go further, which means further expansion of this world. Generally speaking, the Awakening is a very entertaining tale devoid of emotion or mood and is an action movie as described in the arguments section of the Earlier Underworld movies.
