Simply Perfect

Simply A Masterpiece

From my favorite movies..

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

A fifth instalment and the series continues to grow more convoluted and formulaic with every new entry. Whilst acknowledging the hideous reviews this garnered, I was expecting the worst of the worst. Yet, surprisingly, I found this to be somewhat enjoyable. Maybe the declination of this franchise has melted my critical hypothalamus, or perhaps the silly entertainment was enough to occupy my mind. Regardless, this was fine. Selene is recruited by one of the last remaining covens to train new members in becoming Death Dealers. Double-crossing, tainted aspirations and an increase in convolution aids the ever raging war between vampires and lycans. The exact same formula is utilised much like with the previous entries. Selene hides from both races, a new antagonist arises and desires Selene's blood, a third act final battle and then finally leaving the story open for another sequel. Uninspired? Yes. Functional? Sure. Blood is thicker than this expositional narrative which lacks any sense of characterisation. There is not a single line of dialogue that has an ounce of personality. The vampire ancestry expands for no apparent reason other than to confuse you even more. The over reliant clunky CGI detracts from the authentic creature design and prosthetics that the Underworld franchise excelled at. The constant flashbacks, acting as archival footage, were jarring and a lazy method to convey exposition. However, and I can't believe I'm saying this, it was ever so slightly better than 'Awakening'. Beckinsale owns the role of Selene yet again. Dance actually had a sword fight this time! Pulver's campy antagonistic execution was a much required element given the abysmal villain in the previous film. The action sequences were filmed well without relying too heavily on effects and quick cuts. Bloody and gory with many *cue Mortal Kombat voice* fatalities! Let's be honest though, Blood Wars is not a good film...but I was never bored. Enough is enough though, no more please.

Death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is alone in the world. Michael is long gone. Their daughter Eve is hidden away even from Selene herself. Both Lycans and Vampires are after her. Vampire David (Theo James) comes to her aid against the Lycans and she saves his life. The Eastern Coven is losing against the Lycans and Semira (Lara Pulver) argues to reinstate Selene as leader of the new untrained Death Dealers.The franchise first started going downhill with Michael being written off. There is a Romeo and Juliet aspect to the first movie that is missing from all the rest. It's a good thing to start with a previously segment to bring some of it back since I've forgotten most of the convoluted history. The franchise is running on fumes. It feels very repetitive. This is playing to an ever shrinking fan base and nobody else. People who haven't followed the movies have no reason to watch this.

Funny how my hopes were low going into this film but it starts off pretty darn good - at least into the first half of it. But then the film adds super-saiyan vampires, roid raging werewolves and a boringly convoluted plot and yeah - I checked out. I must say I was a little disappointed because the Underworld series as more or less have had consistently good B-level action flicks. Whatever, it couldn't last forever because what's her name is playing a character who doesn't age while she is starting to age, because she is of course only human.

The film opens with outcast death dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) catching us up with a few sentences with the rest following. The werewolves who are called Lycans because that sounds more sophisticated, are planning a major attack at the Vampire fortress. They want the blood of the hybrid Eve, daughter of Selene so they can be strong and win. I still don't fully understand the blood doping rules, or how memory is retained in the blood, but I just went with it. Selene is granted amnesty by the Vampires (she killed Victor in a previous movie) in order to train new recruits for the up and coming battle.Of course these films are never just vampires vs werewolves, oh excuse me, Lycans, with me selling silver bullets to both sides. It is a twisted tale with betrayal and let's add a new element just as I am getting the old plot sorted out. OUCH! Plenty of fighting. The plot tries to be clever, and maybe it was. Leaves it open for at least a few more episodes as this appears to be a bridging film which promises what this one missed.Guide: No nudity. 1 F-word. Brief sex.