Underworld (2003 film)
Underworld | |
---|---|
Directed by | Len Wiseman |
Screenplay by | Danny McBride |
Story by |
|
Produced by |
|
Starring | |
Cinematography | Tony Pierce-Roberts |
Edited by | Martin Hunter |
Music by | Paul Haslinger |
Production companies | |
Distributed by |
|
Release dates |
|
Running time | 121 minutes[2] |
Countries | |
Language | English |
Budget | $22 million[3] |
Box office | $95.7 million[3] |
Underworld is a 2003
Underworld premiered at the
The film was followed by Underworld: Evolution in 2006.
Plot
For generations,
During a clash with the Lycans, Selene discovers that they are looking for Michael Corvin, a seemingly ordinary medical student. Disregarding Kraven’s insistence to ignore the situation, Selene privately investigates Michael. After approaching him, the pair find themselves pursued by a group of Lycans led by Lucian, who is still alive and manages to bite Michael during their escape. Since Kraven was the only witness to Lucian's supposed death, Selene comes to suspect that he lied about killing him and may be working with the Lycans.
Selene prematurely awakens
Selene returns to her coven's mansion. Furious about being woken early, Viktor refuses to believe Selene's warnings about Kraven's treachery and reminds her that his fellow elder
Selene escapes the mansion and manages to capture and abduct the Lycan scientist
At the vampires' mansion, a captive Singe reveals that Selene was being honest about Kraven's betrayal, and he reveals why the Lycans want Michael: vampires and Lycans actually have a common ancestor, which Michael is a direct descendant of. As an heir to the legendary "Corvinus" bloodline, he carries a unique genetic strain that could allow him to become a vampire-werewolf
In the ensuing showdown between vampires and Lycans, Selene breaks into the Lycans' lair to rescue Michael. Kraven and Lucian turn on each other, and the former tells Selene that Viktor was the one who really murdered her family and only spared and mentored her due to being reminded of his daughter. Selene is forced to bite a fatally injured Michael, believing that her bite will make him an immortal vampire-werewolf hybrid, while Kraven shoots Lucian, killing him.
When Viktor arrives at the Lycans' lair after the battle, he admits to murdering Selene's parents and killing his daughter. He also insists that he killed Sonja for the good of his people and reveals she was pregnant with Lucian's child, an abomination in the eyes of the two species. Lastly, he claims that he made Selene immortal because he loved her and proceeds to fight the hybrid Michael. Initially overwhelmed by Michael’s strength, Viktor eventually gets the upper hand and attempts to strangle him. Selene rouses from her disorientation and kills Viktor by beheading him with his sword. Now enemies of both vampires and Lycans, Selene and Michael flee the Lycans' lair together.
Back at the vampires' mansion, Marcus, now the sole surviving vampire elder, awakens after Singe's blood seeps into his sarcophagus.
Cast
- Kate Beckinsale as Selene, a Death Dealer
- Scott Speedman as Michael Corvin, a medical student who becomes a hybrid
- Viktor, the second most powerful of the vampire elders
- Lucian, the leader of the Lycans
- Kraven, a vampire noble who plots to kill the elders
- Singe, a Lycan scientist who plans with Lucian to make a hybrid creature
- Erika, a vampire courtesanwho desires Kraven's favor
- Kahn, a vampire warrior who helps Selene
- Raze, Lucian's right-hand-man
- Amelia, a vampire elder
- Scott McElroy as Soren, Kraven's henchman
- Wentworth Miller as Adam Lockwood, Michael's colleague
- Dennis Kozeluh as Dmitri
- Hank Amos as Nathaniel
- Sandor Bolla as Rigel
- Todd Schneider as Trix
- Jázmin Dammakas Sonja
Production
Development
In 2000, Danny McBride met Len Wiseman through Nick Reed, who was the agent for both of them with intent for them to work together on a script the former wrote. While the plans for that film fizzled out, they did set out a plan to work together. Kevin Grevioux had graduated from Howard University with a degree in microbiology, but he developed a desire to study film in cinematography and screenwriting. He dropped out of graduate studies and moved to Los Angeles, where he became an actor. He came up with the original concept for the film, which was inspired by Romeo and Juliet alongside his college studies, which based vampirism and lycanthropy on a viral mutagen rather than mythology. McBride and Wiseman soon stepped in to work on the script, which they soon set out to make a trilogy of films. Each received credit for their work on the film, and Grevioux also appeared in the film as an actor.[6][7]
Legal controversy
The film was the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by
Soundtrack
Underworld (Music from the Motion Picture) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lakeshore | ||||
Producer | Danny Lohner | |||
Underworld film series soundtrack chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [11] |
The film's soundtrack was produced by Danny Lohner and distributed via Roadrunner Records. Lohner (born 1970), a bass guitarist, guitarist, and keyboardist who has recorded with
Music critic Bill Aicher noted that the "soundtrack follow[s] in a similar gothic vein" to the visuals, and stated that it "does an excellent job setting the dark mood" by using "a veritable who's who in the genre", with an "impressive array of metal, hard rock, industrial, and otherwise gothic-themed tracks".[12] Aicher noted that since "a majority of the selections [are] written, produced, or featuring Lohner, the album retains a sense of cohesion throughout, making it much more a complete product than has generally been the case with similarly-themed products."[12] In particular, Aicher praised the rearrangement of David Bowie's "Bring Me the Disco King" (previously released in its original form on his studio album Reality earlier that month) as the soundtrack's strongest piece. This version of the song, which features Maynard James Keenan (from Tool and A Perfect Circle) and guitarist John Frusciante (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), was praised by Aicher as "Dark, brooding, sad, and twitchy".[12]
- Track listing
No. | Title | Artist | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Awakening" | Sarah Bettens | 4:28 |
Total length: | 1:07:07 |
Underworld (Original Score) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Lakeshore Records | ||||
Producer | Paul Haslinger and Lustmord | |||
Underworld film series score album chronology | ||||
|
Release
Box office
The film grossed $51,970,690 in the US and $95,708,457 worldwide.[3]
Reception
Underworld has a 31% overall approval rating on film-critics' aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes based on 161 reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The site's consensus reads The site's consensus reads, "Though stylish to look at, Underworld is tedious and derivative."[13] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[14]
Roger Ebert said, "This is a movie so paltry in its characters and shallow in its story that the war seems to exist primarily to provide graphic visuals"[15] However, some critics were more favorable: the New York Daily News praised it as being "stylish and cruel, and mightily entertaining for certain covens out there".[16]
Salon reviewer Andrew O'Hehir gave a mixed review, stating, "by any reasonable standard, this dark vampire epic — all massive overacting, cologne-commercial design and sexy cat suits — sucks," but that "at least it gives a crap", conceding that despite the movie's flaws, the complex vampire-werewolf mythology backstory "has been meticulously worked out".[17]
Accolades
Award | Subject | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Saturn Awards | Best Horror Film | Nominated [18] | |
Best Actress | Kate Beckinsale | ||
Best Make-Up | Trefor Proud and Balázs Novák | ||
Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Awards | Scott Speedman | Won | |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Thriller Movie | Nominated [19] | |
Choice Movie Actress: Drama/Action Adventure | Kate Beckinsale (also for Van Helsing) |
Home media
Underworld was released on DVD and VHS on January 6, 2004 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.[20]
Sequels and prequel
A sequel, titled Underworld: Evolution, in which Marcus fully awakens, was released January 20, 2006. The prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, which gives more detail about the creation of the Lycan species and Lucian's hatred, was released January 23, 2009. A second sequel, Underworld: Awakening, was released on January 20, 2012, and a third sequel, Underworld: Blood Wars, was released on January 6, 2017.[21]
See also
References
- ^ "Underworld (2003)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "Underworld (15)". British Board of Film Classification. September 2, 2003. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Underworld (2003)". Box Office Mojo.
- ^ Lumiere. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Underworld (2003)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on November 13, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
- ^ "The Trades - Entertainment Industry Analysis". Archived from the original on July 10, 2004.
- ^ "Kevin Grevioux - Black Creator Behind Underworld and More". March 8, 2021.
- ^ "WHITE WOLF, INC. and author NANCY A. COLLINS sue SONY PICTURES, SCREEN GEMS and LAKESHORE ENTERTAINMENT for "Underworld" copyright infringement". Archived from the original on February 12, 2008.
- ^ "Court Awards Expedited Injunction Hearing to WHITE WOLF and NANCY A. COLLINS in "Underworld" Suit". Archived from the original on January 20, 2008.
- ^ "Collins and White Wolf v. Sony Pictures". Archived from the original on June 8, 2010.
- Allmusic.
- ^ a b c "Maynard and Borland and Bowie, Oh My!". Music review by Bill Aicher http://www.music-critic.com/sdtrks/underworld.htm
- ^ "Underworld - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
- ^ "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
- ^ "Underworld movie review & film summary (2003) | Roger Ebert".
- ^ [1] [dead link]
- ^ "Underworld" - Salon.com. The film has developed a strong cult following over time.[citation needed] Archived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Saturn Awards. Archived from the originalon October 9, 2004. Retrieved April 27, 2010.
- ^ "Teen Choice Awards 2004". Hollywoodauditions.com. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
- ^ "Underworld DVD Release Date January 6, 2004". DVDs Release Dates. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
- ^ "Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Underworld at IMDb
- Underworld title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Underworld at AllMovie
- Underworld at Rotten Tomatoes