Underworld: Awakening

The return of Latex Kate to the series is just a total washout and what's more, probably the beginning of more and more sequels. Her costume is nice, but something might as well start happening in those movies since it's a set now. But replacing a potential lover with a potential daughter? That’s no way to improve things. But the presence of Stephen Rea (Neil Jordan's favorite, who was especially excellent in Interview with the Vampire) and Sandrine Holt (Once a Thief, Mutant X, and The L Word) was a pleasure. (31/07/2012)

No mythology, no juice, no beginning, no end. A very peculiar film where you can enjoy decent action, editing and sound, an excellent Kate Beckinsale and a few of her moves, which are truly worth it. Otherwise, it's a disgraceful made-in-Hollywood routine. Everything is further intensified by the short running time that doesn’t leave room to attempt anything. The first one was good, it was more stylish and larger, which is ironic considering the budgets. (25/02/2012)

I'm glad Kate Beckinsale returned to the series, although her replacement in the previous film wasn’t a bad choice and did her part well. The fourth installment brought the audience back to the present, which gave the saga a breath fresh of air. I liked the time jump of 12 years due to the protagonist’s cryo-freeze—it was a creative decision, as was the idea of humans uniting and standing up against their ultimate enemies, the vampires and lycans. I’d say the action was the best and most inventive in the series so far, and not just because of the hefty budget poured into the film. Finally, the creators decided that an R-rating would suit a series with this type of content, and it was a perfect fit. The fight scenes were very well done. However, more emphasis should have been placed on the dialogue and, of course, the story, which felt rather overused and predictable. We'll see what the final installment brings, which many consider the weakest of them all. I’m leaving room to be surprised by the final resolution. The fourth film gets 64% from me. (18/09/2017)

Awakening? More like Falling Asleep. The script was weak, the dialogue lackluster. Although Kate Beckinsale entered the scene like a Terminator, clad only in her determination, she couldn't save this dysfunctional piece of crap. Why Theo James was cast in the film is beyond me. His character did nothing to help the plot. Similarly, the casting of Charles Dance, who was clearly supposed to replace Bill Nighy, didn't work for me. And the rest – the daughter, the giant Lycan, the huge war against vampires – make for a very unappealing combination. (18/04/2017)

With its fast pace and short running time, Underworld: Awakening provides non-stop fun. In comparison with the first two instalments, however, it only follows proven templates without trying to bring anything new to the table (moving the plot from forests to the city and the corridors of a modern building seems inspired by Resident Evil or the first Matrix). It is a B-movie that does not offend, but it does not offer any memorable action scenes such as the one with the truck in the second instalment. The effects are sometimes fine, sometimes below average. Kate Beckinsale’s tight-fitting suit and blue eyes framed by brown hair are still cool, though. Exactly between two and three stars. Last year’s Priest was visually more original and bolder. (20/01/2012)