Before we get started, let me state that there will be plot points discussed in the following text, but I will do my best to keep crucial points a secret. Let me also state that I am not a professional critic, but have more critical film expertise than most people; having taken several film courses in college.
8/10
This movie picks up where the second left off, after Michael and Selene have killed Marcus. The humans now know of the existence of vampires and lycans, and strive to eliminate both species. Selene and Michael are trying to escape the war, but are torn apart and captured by the company Antigen. Antigen is apparently a medical corporation working on a cure for lycanthropy and vampirism. Selene awakes twelve years after she has been captured and sets out to find Michael. She soon finds there are much, much more troubling matters at hand.
Yes, yes, yes. I loved this movie. The fact that it was great helps me cope with the fact that I paid $27 for myself and my girlfriend to see it in 3D.
If you enjoy the series, and I do, thoroughly, you will like this movie. Though the storytelling has certainly declined predictably since the first installment, the action has gotten better. There's plenty of blood, gore, and creative killings to be had; which says a lot for the action genre. Between the action scenes, however, the movie sometimes falters. I often found myself dwelling on the glory days of the first Underworld movie. The history and enjoyment had in the first two (and Rise of the Lycans) easily makes this one more enjoyable. If you didn't see them, however, that's alright. There is a short synopsis of everything that has occurred at the beginning of this movie. That is one of its few downfalls; the creators should have faith in the fact that their audience has seen their other movies. Even as the movie goes on, it's easy to tell what's happening, who people are, and what transpired in the previous films as the characters do talk about it.
If we recall, in the previous installment there was a scene where Selene and Michael had sex. For the sake of further discussion, I will reveal that as it turns out, Selene was with child when she was captured by Antigen agents. This opens a whole new can of worms as you can certainly guess what kinds of powers their daughter has. Her character is believable, and sufficiently childlike. In one scene, after her healing powers have been discovered, the girl is shown cutting herself just to watch it heal. After all, she is a hybrid from birth, and acts as such as well. She participates in the fighting several times, and is a satisfying combination of childlike inexperience with natural talent and strength. The theme of endless power continues, with Selene able to see things through her daughter's eyes. I thought this was a bit of a stretch, and not at all necessary to the plot. It is part of an early twist, however, that was enjoyable after all.
As the movie goes on, it is made known that two 'purges' took place, and that the Lycans are all but extinct, with vampires not in much better shape. Selene is eventually saved whilst being pursued by diseased Lycans by a vampire who is part of a surviving coven. His father is (presumably) an elder or at least a very old, leading vampire and is stuck in his ways. He certainly cannot fill Victor's character's shoes, but he serves his purpose.
The characters are forgettable, so much so that I hardly remember their names; possibly because there's scant mention of them. Each person more or less represents an archetype or ideal within the story, which was fine by me.
There is much fun to be had, and Underworld delivers more larger-than-life boss-type creatures. The most memorable being a giant Lycan that Selene has a real tough time killing. The scene is memorable as it pays homage to archaic horror techniques, with the Lycan lurking behind translucent cloth, creating great suspense.
Again, the action is fantastic. It's fast-paced, and Selene never falters in her no-nonsense death dealer style of fighting. Her character remains mostly the same, but she shows some weakness due to the apparent loss of Michael and the gaining of her daughter, which is refreshing.
The cinematography is sound, with enough angles and changes to keep you interested, but nothing ambitious or artistic. Sound is on the same page, with an impressive soundtrack with contributions from the likes of Flyleaf and Evanescence, to solidify the strong, rockstar woman attitude the film embodies. The 3D was sound, I daresay the best I've seen in a live action movie especially when compared to really, really bad competition (Clash of the Titans, anyone?). I wouldn't say it's worth the extra cash if you have a choice, but if 3D is your only option, it shouldn't keep you from seeing the movie.
On that same note, special effects are fantastic in this movie. The Lycans are believable, the changes are seamless, and there are little nuances to be enjoyed like the gleam of a Lycans eyes at night or the shine of Selene's pistols as she guns down said Lycans.
My least favorite thing about this movie was the absence of Michael. Very early on he and Selene are separated, and we do not see him for the rest of the movie. We never see him fight, we only see him change once, and he is immediately ambushed by Antigen agents and subsequently captured. Perhaps this is the franchise's hook to get us into the theater to see the next movie, and it'll surely work for me. Though I had hoped this would end in a perfect trilogy, I'm somewhat thrilled that it isn't going to. Though Selene's daughter couldn't fill her father's shoes, she does offer a viable substitute for now. We're left wondering what the three together can accomplish, especially once their daughter comes of age, recognizes, and hones her power.
How can I conclude? Go and see this movie. There is at least one BIG twist I didn't mention here, plus several more. It lacked in plot at times, but it more than made up for it in action and Kate Beckinsale in leather, as usual. As I said, if you like the genre and the franchise, you'll enjoy this movie.
