Underworld: Evolution

A cheaper, blue-filtered version of Van Helsing that becomes ever more predictable as it draws closer to the end credits. Thanks, however, to the shorter runtime and Kate Beckinsale’s great image, I found this less boring than Van Helsing. (02/03/2006)

Better action, meaningful mythology, and even more attractive Kate Beckinsale still aren't enough for at least a solid film. The Underworld series will forever remain an unfinished great idea for me. Evolution, although aiming relatively high, is brought down by the tiresome crucial battle and trivial conclusion. (07/03/2006)

Len Wiseman is not a good screenwriter by any stretch of the imagination (I was convinced of this unfortunate fact when I saw the first film) and he is definitely not a good director (which I somehow, strangely accepted last time). Underworld: Evolution amounts to a bunch of awkward dialogues that are supposed to be interludes between the frantic action, which the director used excessively. But according to the motto "too much of everything is bad," Underworld is an overly noisy, flashing, and frenetically edited spectacle that glues together boring dead weight from the plot. For some reason, they strangely cut out the werewolves and the film more or less revolves around strange vampire "politics" that are laughable. The Speedman-Beckinsale duo starts off with a nice sex scene, which is where their pros in the film end. Underworld: Evolution is nothing more than a popcorn movie trying to be something more. It's not enough just to have perfect technical aspects (sound, cinematography, CGI) and dirty-looking sets to add to the film's rawness. It lacks a plot with more sense and maybe a little bit of directorial inventiveness. Perhaps that's why I'm skeptical about the idea of a trilogy. (09/04/2006)

Here we get a dangerously added plot, the mythology of the entire franchise, and yet again the only thing that remains watchable is the latex Kate in the main role. It’s too bad they've added more colors because seeing her love scene in metallic blue again would be more interesting. And I also prefer to keep Derek Jacobi as Claudio in my memory. (31/07/2012)

Van Helsing, Blade 2, Terminator. When watching the second Underworld, you sometimes get the feeling that you are watching a hybrid of all these movies. But a very entertaining hybrid, I should say. Wiseman’s directing hasn’t improved one bit since part one. But thanks to having more money, we get a more bombastic story and even bigger craziness than last time. And to top things we get Kate Beckinsale in a latex suit, so who could want anything more from this summer put-your-feet-up movie. (27/09/2006)