ScreenWize

What do you do when your successful franchise comes to a natural conclusion, but there are still bucks to be milked from your substantial fan-base? Go back to the beginning and tell an origins story is the answer, and Underworld isn’t the only film series this year doing this – look for a Wolverine origins film from the X-Men series, and weirdly enough, plans are underway for a prequel to Will Smith’s I am Legend.

Underworld was a Romeo and Juliet tale, with love blossoming between a Vampire and a Werewolf despite their species long enmity, and Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans tells us that their love story echoes a much older tale. In a bleak European past, King Viktor (Bill Nighy) rules over a coven of Vampires who sell protection from marauding wolves to a frightened population. From these wolves, his race have created their own hybrid servant class of man-wolves called Lycans, who they keep in human form with collars. These Lycans are treated abysmally, and as the film’s titles suggests, they will have their day. However, this is a love story, and this time around the star-crossed lovers are the heroic Lycan Lucian (Michael Sheen), and the King’s daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra). Viktor thinks he is being most benevolent by taking Lucien under his wing, and so the betrayal he feels at their inter-species affair sparks a centuries-long battle.

The problem with any prequel is that the story parameters are set. Unless you’re coming into this film cold, and I don’t imagine too many will, you already know what’s going to happen. You also know that one of the biggest drawcards for the first two films – Kate Beckinsale strutting about in skin-tight PVC – won’t be appearing. First-time director Patrick Tatopoulos makes up for these limitations with an inventive eye and solid story-telling. As the film is mostly nights and interiors, its New Zealand locations don’t add much, but the location does allow for a wealth of behind-the-scenes Kiwi talent. The production values are outstanding, notably Jane Holland’s costume design and Dan Hennah’s production design, as well as Aussie Ross Emery’s blue-hued cinematography.

The acting is decent and even the usually shockingly camp Bill Nighy manages to tone it down and play it straight. Michael Sheen, currently on screen in Frost/Nixon, surprises as a super-buff action hero. Disappointingly though, despite the fact that everyone is dressed up and pratting about as if they were starring in a Spinal Tap video, the film is entirely humourless, where it might have actually been fun.

CK

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Filed Under: Reviews by Simon