Taglines: Prepare for a new breed of war.
Mankind discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan species and they begin a war to annihilate the races. When Selene meets with Michael in the harbor, they are hit by a grenade and Selene passes out. Twelve years later, Selene awakes from a cryogenic sleep in the Antigen laboratory and meets the Vampire David.
She learns that she had been the subject of the scientist Dr. Jacob Lane and the Vampire and Lycan species have been practically eradicated from Earth. But Selene is still connected to Michael and has visions that she believes that belongs to Michael’s sight. However she has a surprise and finds that she has a powerful daughter named Eve that has been raised in the laboratory. Now Selene and David have to protect Eve against the Lycans that intend to use her to inoculate their species against silver.
Underworld: Awakening is a 2012 American 3D action horror film directed by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein. It is the fourth installment in the Underworld franchise, with Kate Beckinsale reprising her role as Selene, joined by Theo James, Michael Ealy, and India Eisley. Filming began in March 2011 in Vancouver, British Columbia and the film was released in Digital 3D, IMAX 3D and 2D theaters on January 20, 2012.
Film Review for Underworld: Awakening
Kate Beckinsale returns to star as vampiress Selene, who wakes up after being in a cryogenically frozen state for 12 years.
The fourth entry in this profitable B-movie series helpfully brings its viewers up to speed with a quick recap of the first two movies (conveniently skipping the third, which star Kate Beckinsale sat out).
The comely British actress — who also can be seen in theaters now as the wife-in-peril in Contraband — has returned to once again don the skintight black latex outfit that is these films’ biggest draw to fanboys. More aggressively violent and thankfully less mythology-driven than previous installments, Underworld: Awakening is strictly for the converted.
This film begins with vampiress Selene waking up after being in a cryogenically frozen state for 12 years, a convincing plot element since the 38-year-old actress doesn’t seem to have aged a day. Apparently we humans have gotten hip to the preponderance of Lycans — werewolves, to the uninitiated — and bloodsuckers in our midst and have made determined efforts to eradicate them.
Busting out of the lab, Selene takes no prisoners. Indeed, the character seems even more ruthlessly violent and murderous than in the previous films, perhaps the result of having been rudely awakened from a nice long nap.
Accompanied by a hunky vampire (Theo James) and a young woman (India Eisley) awakened from a similarly frozen state, Selene finds herself in an endless series of violent battles with both humans and Lycans — who are, in many cases, one and the same. Along the way, a sympathetic cop (Michael Ealy) tries to help out, with unfortunate results.
The actress goes through her energetic paces and an awful lot of wire work with the requisite athleticism and steely facial expressions. When she’s not actually fighting, her performance consists of little more than striding purposefully toward or away from the camera: “I’m not good with feelings,” Selene accurately points out.
Swedish directors Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein — they’re billed by just their last names in the credits, which admittedly looks cooler — keep the pace frenetic enough that the film clocks in at just 89 minutes. This is the first of the series to be done in 3D but — considering the monochromatic, blue-gray palette, the frenzied editing and the general darkness — it results only in making the proceedings harder to see in an additional dimension.
As is customary for the series, there are veteran British actors on hand to pick up a quick paycheck. Here, replacing such predecessors as Bill Nighy and Derek Jacobi, are Stephen Rea as an evil scientist and Charles Dance as the head of a vampire coven. Both look despondent that they no longer have any Harry Potter movies to provide an alternative form of financial security.
Underworld: Awakening (2012)
Directed by: Måns Mårlind, Björn Stein
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James, India Eisley, Sandrine Holt, Charles Dance, Kris Holden-Ried, Jacob Blair, Adam Greydon Reid, Catlin Adams, Robert Lawrenson
Screenplay by: Len Wiseman, John Hlavin
Production Design by: Claude Paré
Cinematography by: Scott Kevan
Film Editing by: Jeff McEvoy
Costume Design by: Monique Prudhomme
Set Decoration by: Shane Vieau
Art Direction by: Martina Javorova, Gary Myers
Music by: Paul Haslinger
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence and gore, and for some language.
Distributed by: Sony ScreenGems, Columbia Pictures
Release Date: January 20, 2012
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