February 16, 2006

Underworld: Evolution

I don't have much to say about it, not enough to fill an entire review. It has an entertaining opening scene that takes place in the distant past, where the werewolves—sorry, lycans are animated in a charming Ray Harryhausen style, all jittery and stop-motiony. But then it's back to the present for nonsense and two observations:

1. I still maintain, even after seeing the Matrix trilogy and the first Underworld, that tight black leather is not only ill-advised if you're going to be fighting, it's probably among the worst things you can wear. Especially if it gets wet, and especially if you're wearing a leather body suit and you become submerged. Where does the water go? Don't vampires chafe like the rest of us? And where are all the squeaks and creaks in the sound mix?

2. I'll give you one scene that perfectly encapsulates director Len Wiseman's filmmaking, er, prowess. The sun is rising, and unless Selene (Kate Beckinsale) gets under cover, she'll go poof. Michael (Scott Speedman) drives her into an abandoned warehouse and stashes her under a blanket. But there are huge, multi-paned windows letting the sun in! Oh no! Good thing there are cans of black paint handy. He grabs one, opens it with his retractable claws, and tosses it onto the window. Now, a director with any sense of good use of screen time would end there because, hey, we get it: he covers the windows with paint. But not Wiseman. He shows Michael opening can after can, chucking it in big gloopy splashes at the window. He shows it from different angles. He shows it in slow-motion, fer chrissake.

Is the target audience for this film full of people who might misunderstand if Wiseman didn't show multiple cans of paint? Would nerdy fan message boards crop up filled with gleeful posters saying "LOLWTFBBQ they're isnt enuf paint in a can 2 cover all of those windows!!!1!!!1!"?

Well, probably.

Posted by mike, February 16, 2006 11:15 AM
Comments

Tight black leather is perfect for sex games, however. Now there's a movie I'd go see. Twice. In all seriousness, though...no, not in all seriousness. In absolutely no seriousness, when oh when are we going to see a good vampire film again? It's one of my favorite genres and there have probably been less than ten good vampire movies in the past hundred years. I might be exaggerating but, sadly, it doesn't feel like it.

Posted by: Shawn at February 16, 2006 12:11 PM

After reading this, it hit me: Scott Speedman's character is a Wolverine ripoff. At least in this movie, maybe not the original.

Posted by: Brian at February 16, 2006 12:13 PM

Do you count the Blade movies as good or bad?

Posted by: Brian at February 16, 2006 12:17 PM

First Blade movie is mediocre. Second one is great. I didn't see the third one, but I'll go out on a limb and say it was horrid.

Posted by: Shawn at February 16, 2006 12:42 PM