Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

So let’s face it, Underworld is not meant to be a brilliant film. Same can be said about its sequel, Underworld: Evolution, and most definitely can be said about its prequel, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. I cringe at some of the acting, the dialogue leaves something to be desired and the fluidity of the film is like driving over a worn-away road. I hate lowering my expectations in order to enjoy a film, but I found it necessary with these films, especially Underworld, ROTL. Individually, these films are rough, but what intrigued me throughout the first two films was the story they were telling, hinting at a slew of other tales and back stories. It really didn’t hit me to not look at these films individually, but as a collective. I’ve got to admit, I really like the world they’ve created and the stories they’ve told throughout the three films, despite the bad attributes. I was a bit leery to watch ROTL because I enjoyed the story of Selene and Michael; I couldn’t imagine a tale without them and I didn’t care too much for the other characters that we only saw a bit of. But this film pulled it off. Sure it was mighty predictable, but it was actually quite interesting seeing the introduction of some of the characters we’ve already met. It made a whole lot more sense as to what Lucien’s motivations were in the first film and why Tanis was placed into exile in the second film. It was also interesting finding out how the Lycans came about, though I’m still wondering why their race only consists of men. Hmmm? Where are the women? Perhaps that’s something to see in a fourth film? This is one big story with a fascinating mythology that only really works well when looking at the big picture.