Underworld: Blood Wars is a $48 million budgeted action movie that never finds its footing. It wants to be a sequel, a reboot, and a cash grab all at once. It mostly fails at all three.
Trailer, via Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Selene Wakes Up
The film opens with Selene (Kate Beckinsale) waking up in a hospital bed after being captured by her longtime enemy, Varga (Charles Dance). She escapes and sets out to find a cure for the virus that turned her and everyone else into Lycans and vampires. Along the way she teams up with a human named David (Theo James) who holds the key to the cure.
That premise is simple. The execution is not.
Losing the Bite
Beckinsale carries the film with a weary charisma, but the script strips her of almost everything that made her character compelling in earlier entries. She is less fierce, less funny, and less tragic. The result is a lead performance that feels like it is playing catch-up to a story that forgot what it wanted.
What the Film Is Missing
Underworld: Blood Wars does not know what kind of Underworld movie it wants to be. It leans on spectacle and CGI-heavy action sequences that look impressive in stills but collapse into chaos on screen. The pacing is uneven, the dialogue is stilted, and the plot is convoluted to the point of absurdity.
The Action
The action sequences are the film’s strongest element. A chase through a neon-lit city and a final confrontation in a ruined mansion offer some kinetic energy. But even these moments are undermined by poor editing and a score that overloads the audio mix.
The Cast
The supporting cast is competent but underwritten. Dance’s Varga is supposed to be a formidable villain, but he reads more like a cartoon. James fares better as David, though his role is limited to reacting to Selene’s decisions.
A Franchise Without Identity
Underworld: Blood Wars is a franchise entry that should have been a fresh start. Instead it is a bloated, unfocused mess that fans will likely ignore and newcomers will avoid entirely.
The Verdict
Underworld: Blood Wars is a failure on nearly every level. It wastes a strong cast, a recognizable mythology, and a loyal fanbase. It is a film that tries to be everything and ends up being nothing.
Key Facts Box
- Title: Underworld: Blood Wars
- Director: Stephen Norrington
- Lead: Kate Beckinsale as Selene
- Supporting: Charles Dance as Varga, Theo James as David
- Budget: $48 million
- Release: 2016
Schedule Table
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Selene wakes up in the hospital | Opening scene |
| Selene escapes | Midway through |
| Chase through the city | Late in the film |
| Final confrontation in the mansion | Closing scenes |
It wastes a strong cast, a recognizable mythology, and a loyal fanbase. It is a film that tries to be everything and ends up being nothing.
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