Normally, I try to see a movie with a strong director and writer, and although Len Wiseman (“Underworld: Evolution,” “Live Free Die Hard”) wrote “Underworld:Awakening,” he, unfortunately, gave Mans Marland and Bjorn Stein the responsibility to direct, which was a mistake making the most recent edition far from the best from the “Underworld” series. But the movie is still something fans will still be satisfied.
“Awakening” did reach the top of the box office on the weekend of its release, raking in $25 million. An epic fight between vampire warrior Selene, lycans (werewolves) and vampires is all it takes to draw audiences in. The graphics aren’t half bad, and the fight scenes are too ambitious not to enjoy. It has everything an audience would ask for from an action/horror movie (extreme gore and violence) and proves that it doesn’t take an all-star cast to draw in an audiences, just an ass-kicking Kate Beckinsale (“Aviator,” “Pearl Harbor”).
In the first two installments of the “Underworld” series, Selene fell in love with Michael, a human-turned hybrid of the lycans and vampires. This love affair put her and Michael right in middle of the war between the two societies, where she discovered the truth about her past and was betrayed by her superiors.
In the fourth installment, Beckinsale reprises her role as vampire warrior Selene. After frozen for 10 years, Selene fights her way into a world where humans are on the verge of destroying the existence of both the vampires and werewolves. With the help of two new characters, Detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy) and a fellow vampire David (Theo James), Selene investigates a conspiracy to bring the vampires to extinction.
“Awakening” was everything I expected. There are awkward scenes, which had much to do with the limited sets and the acting. You never really get a good feel for the city except for the four or five times Selene jumps from the top of a building landing each time like she does so gracefully in the past movies.
The real reason why I enjoy a movie like this, is not because of Kate Beckinsale’s ability to jump from the tops of buildings, but because it takes two classic monsters and puts them at war with each other. Neither are really justified in this war, but I’m glad to see them fighting because it takes me back to watching “Dracula” and “Wolfman.”
Plus, more than anything, I enjoy the mix use of the animatronics and CGI that creates the werewolves. It’s always obvious when they use either, but in a world where “Avatar” has set the standards, I like to see a movie with limited resources. It’s the effort that counts. Kind of like when you can’t afford to buy a present for someone, so instead you knit a scarf.
Minus some of the awkwardness, the fight scenes between Selene and lycans are epic. The trampling cop cars and the sets, Selene performing acrobatics in all directions, and the ultimate showdown are completely worth the $5 you will spend on a matinee viewing.