Underworld: Awakening

The best analogy that I could come up with for Kate Beckinsale returning to the “Underworld” franchise after bailing for one installment would be a rat jumping a sinking ship but coming back aboard because the water is too cold. “Underworld: Awakening” apparently seemed like a better choice than the water.

Set 10 years after the second film, "Underworld: Awakening" finds Selene (Kate Beckinsale) waking up to find that the world isn’t as it once was and that her vampire race has a new enemy — humans. If that wasn’t enough, Selene finds out that she has a daughter who takes more after her "lycan" (werewolf) father than her vampire mother. With the help of a detective (Michael Ealy), Selene must stop the lycans from rising up.

I am a fan of the "Underworld" series and, Beckinsale aside, the writing is what hooked me. It's smart and edgy, and while the premise wasn’t new, the characters bring life to the films. Unfortunately, everything that makes the series work is forgotten this time around. The script seems more like an outline than an actual story.

The fact that Selene has a daughter who's half-vampire and half-lycan is sort of glazed over, and the purpose of her creation is never really explained. A new coven of vampires is introduced, but only to add friction for Selene. As for the acting, I can’t really fault the actors for not being given anything with which to work.

If you’re a fan of the series, then you may enjoy “Underworld: Awakening,” but I warn you that it is a soulless entry into this franchise. The worst part of the movie is that it's left wide open for another sequel.

With only a filmmakers’ commentary, this DVD release is as hollow as the film’s plot.

Film: 1.5 Yaps Extras: 1.5 Yaps