Underworld: Awakening
Mans Marlind, Bjorn Stein
The story: Vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale) emerges from a deep-freeze state to discover that 12 years have passed since her capture by humans. She goes in search of her vampire-Lycan hybrid lover and finds instead a young girl, Subject 2 (India Eisley), with whom she has a strong affinity. Hunted by the Lycan werewolves, Selene is helped by the vampire David (Theo James) and detective Sebastian (Michael Ealy).

This is entry No. 4 in the fantasy series about vampires and werewolves, following Underworld (2003), Underworld: Evolution (2006) and the prequel Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009).
It means that there is a complicated back story about the enmity between the vampires and werewolves, the role played by Selene as well as her relationship with the unique vampire-Lycan hybrid Michael Corvin. Scott Speedman, from television’s Felicity (1998-2002), took on the role in the first two Underworld films but did not return for Awakening.
And that is before we mention the sorry state of vampires and the shadowy medical corporation holding Selene captive and conducting tests on Subject 2 in this instalment.
But even if you are a newcomer to the franchise, not to worry. The main elements of the film can be crunched down to two things: English actress Kate Beckinsale in a skintight leather body sheath, and her character Selene coolly taking down anyone and anything who gets in her way with an array of firearms.
For those who really need to know what is going on, there is a helpful summary at the beginning of the film to get you up to speed.
The action bits are entertaining enough but the movie sags a little whenever it goes into talky drama mode.
While the sight of Beckinsale in a tight outfit is enough for some fans, others have complained about her one-note performance as the wooden Selene.
There is a response of sorts to the criticism in the film. Eve, or Subject 2, thinks that Selene is cold and unfeeling and Selene responds that she is not cold-hearted, but rather, broken-hearted over the disappearance of her lover. Still, emotions can be hard to make out when everything is delivered in a colourless monotone by Beckinsale.
The film works better when it has some fun with Selene as a bada** mouthing killer lines. When she dangles a baddie from a building, he begs for his life saying that he was the one who had let her go from the medical facility. She drops him and then quips drily: “Now we’re even.”
The colour palette of the film is fairly one-note as well and Awakening is largely cloaked in stylish blacks and greys. What is unintentionally amusing is the make-up for Subject 2 when she transforms into a vampire – India Eisley ends up looking like a possessed child from some exorcism flick.
But like Selene herself who seems impervious to harm, the series itself has continued to survive in the face of criticisms and brickbats.
So will there be another entry in this franchise? Count on it.
(ST)