How did vampires and werewolves stay hidden for 600 years? What is their bullet budget?
Why is it so dark? What's up with the wings? Is that catsuit even comfortable? These are
some of the many questions that need to be examined from the "Underworld" movies.
The plot of 2012's "Underworld: Awakening," hinges on humans discovering the existence
of vampires and lycans. Yet, the two supernatural species existed for centuries prior to humanity's
realization. While the first film indicates that vampires and lycans have attempted to
operate in the shadows, it seems impossible that their conflict has gone unnoticed for so long.
In the second film, "Underworld: Evolution," Alexander Corvinus, the first immortal,
indicates he's spent his long life covering up the indiscretions of the two species his
twin sons originated, but it's hard to believe he never slipped up over
the course of the centuries-long bloodshed between vampires and lycans. Furthermore,
in modern times vampires' and lycans' use of loud guns without silencers would make them especially
likely to attract attention. At a minimum, people should have noticed during the first "Underworld,"
as the two groups have an intense gun battle in a subway catching multiple humans in the crossfire.
In the mythology of "Underworld," Kate Beckinsale's Selene and Scott
Speedman's Michael are supposed to be supernatural star-crossed
lovers. As Michael goes from human to lycan to lycan-vampire hybrid throughout the first film,
he and Selene are also supposed to be falling for each other. While the plot of the film makes this
clear, Beckinsale and Speedman as actors do not. Theirs is supposed to be an Earth-shattering love,
Instead, their romance is about as sexy as a damp towel.
"And have you? Moved on?" "Have you?"
Even in the second film, as Selene and Michael finally consummate their relationship,
the audience gets a scene that shows a lot of skin, yet never bares much of anything.
Unfortunately, Beckinsale generates more heat by herself by talking about her feelings for
Michael or interacting with his corpse when she thinks he's dead late in the second movie
"Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" is a prequel that explains the centuries-old origins of the
war between lycans and vampires focusing on lycan Lucian and his forbidden relationship
with vampire Sonja, which tragically results in the latter being killed by her father and
vampire leader Viktor when he discovers that she's pregnant with a lycan child.
Yet, even if you haven't seen the third film in the series, this story may sound familiar.
That's because Lucien relates it in the first film and, if that weren't enough, Michael experiences
it in a series of brief flashbacks. So while "Rise of the Lycans" expands on the story, it's
still a rehash of a storyline that was summed up in just a few minutes in the first "Underworld."
Alexander Corvinus passed the trait of eternal life on to his twin sons Marcus and William,
who became the first vampire and werewolf, respectively.
While William was unable to assume his human form ever again, the movie indicates Marcus
became a vampire just like the others presented in the franchise. That is,
until we meet him in "Underworld: Evolution" and learn that he has giant bat wings,
the apparent result of being awoken from a lengthy sleep by the blood of a slain lycan scientist.
Marcus spends a majority of the film flying around and using his wings as weapons, but it's unclear
why he has them. Early in the story, Selene tells Michael he's the first vampire-lycan hybrid,
and therefore there are no limits to what he might be capable of. The question is why lycan
blood would cause Marcus to sprout wings instead of adopting more lycan-like traits. In the end,
it seems Marcus was given his winged advantage because he's the first vampire,
but the movie never offers any real explanation.
In most vampire properties, the species is particularly vulnerable to wooden stakes
through the heart and sunlight. The "Underworld" franchise adheres to only half of that lore,
as the only thing that will definitely take out this franchise's vampires is sunlight. In fact,
vampires' vulnerability is so extreme that their lycan enemies have learned
to make UV bullets so they can destroy vampires even when the sun is down.
Yet, while many vampires die from exposure to UV light throughout the series, there are also many
more deaths that aren't dependent on the sun. For example, Viktor dies when Selene lobs off
half of his head with a sword. Another elder, Amelia, dies when she is drained of blood.
Although there's a certain logic to these deaths, they're still somewhat surprising.
More surprising still are the deaths of two vampires in the series' second entry,
who Selene takes out by simply punching them and throwing them against a wall.
Given the strength and durability this species is supposed to possess,
it's hard to believe such a thing would end the life of even the weakest vampire.
With the exception of "Underworld: Awakening," the series takes place in an unnamed city in Eastern
Europe. From the looks of the language seen on some of the signs, that city is likely in Hungary,
yet almost every character speaks with an English or American accent.
"How ya doin'?"
Most puzzling of all, however, is the fact that when we first meet Michael in "Underworld," he's
clearly American, yet he's an intern at a local hospital and the only co-worker he talks to is a
fellow American. But if Michael and his co-worker want to be licensed doctors in the United States,
they wouldn't do their internships in Eastern Europe. Perhaps the films were supposed to
feel like they could take place anywhere, but there's just enough evidence for them being
set in a specific real-world location to make the characters' accents extremely confusing.
From the opening scene of the first "Underworld" one thing is abundantly clear:
when vampire Death Dealers find their lycan targets,
their first response is to unleash a barrage of bullets to take them down.
This would be expensive enough if they used regular bullets, but because lycans are vulnerable
to silver, they mostly employ specially-made silver bullets, which would be even more
costly. This means the vampires' budget for their centuries-long war with the lycans must be
massive. Given the expense and the need to keep the war a secret from humans,
it's surprising the vampires on the front lines of the battle weren't trained to
conserve bullets by being more strategic about where and when they fire. But instead,
their philosophy seems to be shoot first, and as much as possible.
"Underworld" features multiple immortal fathers and their supernatural children,
but there are two prominent examples who present a sharp contrast.
On one hand, there's the original immortal, Alexander Corvinus, whose sons became
the first vampire and werewolf. After Alexander reveals he's spent his lengthy existence covering
up the havoc his children have wreaked across the centuries, he's asked why he didn't just kill his
sons. But he acts like it would be impossible for him, or any other father, to do such a
thing. Despite this, his son Marcus demonstrates he doesn't feel the same loyalty to his father,
given that a short time later he kills Alexander while remarking on his cold heart.
On the other hand, there's Viktor and his daughter Sonja.
While Viktor initially seems to want to secure a high place in vampire society for Sonja,
he condemns her to death when he learns that she's having an affair with the lycan Lucian
and is pregnant with his child. Yet, Sonja's supposed crime is far less horrific than those
of Marcus and William.This is easy to overlook while watching the films, but examining the
two storylines side by side demonstrates the warped priorities of the series' immortals.
Since its very first outing, the "Underworld" franchise has employed a highly stylized,
blue-filtered look. However, there's one drawback to this choice:
it makes it seem like the story takes place entirely at night.
In the first "Underworld" film, this was an advantage,
since it just so happens that none of the action was set during the day. However,
in subsequent films, vampires' allergy to the sun becomes an important plot point.
Yet, in each instance, the films have to strain to ensure the audience understands what's going on,
since it's challenging to interpret based on what we're seeing, which is still very dark.
Nowhere is this more obvious than in the third film, "Rise of the Lycans,"
which goes to great lengths to ensure viewers understand the sun is rising.
Because of the visual palette chosen in the first "Underworld" and maintained through the others,
it is often impossible for audiences to distinguish between day and night.
There are multiple clues to how vampire society works that we can glean during
the series from the way the creatures conduct themselves. First, the vampires live together
in one location as a coven. In "Underworld," it's clear there are at least two covens,
although the information presented in later films confirms there are actually more.
Between the authoritarian-like leadership and insistence that
everyone live together in order to ensure they can be controlled and ordered around,
it seems vampire society hasn't changed in centuries, even as the world has moved on.
At one point, Selene comments that vampires don't change, yet when it comes to clothes and fighting,
her leather outfit and big guns indicate that in some ways vampires have evolved. So,
why hasn't vampires' style of living and leadership changed at least the teensiest bit?
Viktor's lie about who truly killed Selene's family is only one of many
deceptions and omissions of truth that drive the plots of the "Underworld" films.
"Help him? Of course not." "Are you lying to me?"
In fact, there are so many characters keeping secrets, often for centuries,
that it becomes easy to forget just how much the series hinges on various falsehoods,
like Kraven's claim he killed Lucian and his and Lucian's subsequent alliance,
or Thomas never telling his son David that his mother is the vampire elder Amelia.
So while supernatural creatures certainly have a lot to hide from the human population,
in "Underworld" the vampires and lycans find plenty of reasons to hide things from one
another as well, often for selfish reasons that typically come back to haunt them.
The leather catsuit Kate Beckinsale wears in the "Underworld" films has become iconic.
The irony is that Selene's chosen fighting uniform is completely impractical for any
kind of actual fighting. While the leather will certainly prevent her from getting hurt
too badly if she takes a tumble, that doesn't seem like it would be a huge concern. After all,
her vampire healing should be enough to ward off any issues if she falls.
On the other hand, the leather in her suit will only constrict her movements,
overheat her, and make so much noise that it would be very easy to hear her sneaking up behind you.
Of course, Selene is a vampire, so it's possible she doesn't feel
extreme temperatures, and she's strong enough to overcome any limitations of
the catsuit's leather. But Selene is also a professional Death Dealer,
so it seems likely she would want to choose clothing that would best support her work.
In the "Underworld" franchise, there are at least
three separate occasions where a female vampire becomes pregnant.
First, after having an affair with Lucian, Sonja becomes pregnant. Then in the fourth film,
Selene is awoken after being held for 12 years in a government facility
by the daughter she didn't know she was pregnant with when she was captured. Finally,
in the fifth film, it's revealed that David's mother was actually the vampire elder Amelia.
When Sonja revealed her pregnancy, she claimed it was a "miracle," but given how often it comes up
in the franchise, it seems vampire pregnancy is, in fact, possible. Although, like so many other
things in these movies, the filmmakers seem to be loath to provide additional information
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