Underworld Retrospect

Writer: Naseem Randhawa

What? No Scott Speedman in "Underworld: Awakening" but more of Selene in skin-tight leather? Absolutely fang-tastic!

Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009)
"Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans" is like many ways what the upcoming "Hobbit" is to "The Lord Of The Rings" trilogy. Although the movie serves as the latest brick of the "Underworld" series, it is basically an origins story that forms the foundation the whole Vampire-Lycan war. The film focuses on a forbidden romance between a Vampire, Sonja, and a Lycan, Lucian, ala a sombre Romeo and Juliet movie only with more blood gore amidst many luscious head of hairs. Viktor (Bill Nighy), is a ruthless vampire elder who raises a Lycan child, Lucian (Michael Sheen), but his daughter, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), develops an attraction over the years for the adopted Lycan until one day Viktor finds out and imprisons her while Lucian barely escapes in time. When Lucian reaches out to his Lycan clan, he then comes to rescue Sonja ending only with her death and Lucian eliminating almost all of the Vampires for a temporary victory that marks the beginning of the Vampire-Lycan war while Viktor and the other elders escape. There is no Beckinsale or Speedman in this movie, however it did well thanks to the much revved about performance of Michael Sheen.

Underworld (2003)
The first "Underworld" movie released in 2003, (but chronologically not the first) follows the strikingly beautiful leather clad vampiress with electric blue eyes; Selene (Kate Beckinsale), whose duty as a Death Dealer is to destroy all existing Lycans. As she investigates into the Lycan clan deeper, she discovers that the ancient Lycan; Lucian (Sheen), is still alive and is after a very human Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman), whose blood has the ability to create a Vampire-Lycan hybrid that's more powerful than both the species on its own. Fearful of the impending danger, Selene awakens the ancient Vampire elder; Viktor, who much to his annoyance decides to ignore the warning and punish her. As Selene escapes with Michael they develop an attraction towards each other which then leads to an all-out Vampire- Lycan face-off that sees Lucian and Viktor dead, and Michael getting turned into the first hybrid.

Underworld: Evolution (2006)
In "Underworld: Evolution", Selene is back with brand new leather and guns along with her hybrid boyfriend Michael, as they try to stay hidden from the searching eyes of the Lycans and Vampires, having made enemies out of them from the previous film. Unbeknownst to them, there lurks a new enemy in the form of Markus, the remaining original Vampire elder who had been awakened at the end of the last movie when hybrid blood seeped into his coffin. In short, Markus goes after the undead couple, and a crazy hybrid combat ensues which kills Michael in the process but wait, being the hybrid that he is, he awakens from the dead too and Selene who drank the blood of a Lycan now has the ability to walk under the sun. "Underworld" at this point pretty much looks like an episode of "The Walking Dead" doesn't it?

Underworld: Awakening (2012)
Picking up 12 years after the events of "Underworld: Evolution" the first 3D "Underworld" which hits screens this 19 January 2012 will see Selene waking up from imprisonment in a cryogenic facility. She finds that the world had changed vastly and still not over the whole Vampire-Lycan rivalry, plus to make matters worse, humans are now aware of both Vampires and Lycans – and they intend to exterminate both the immortal species to protect the human race. However to end the battle and win, both fighting races have to find and kill Eve, the first Vampire-Lycan hybrid ever. Sadly, amidst all the growling and bullets, Scott Speedman won't be reprising his role as Michael; however "Awakening" is set on introducing super Lycans who are said to be twice the size of the ones seen before.