Underworld – Rise of the Lycans

I generally don’t have much expectation from the movies featuring vampires and werewolves as the main cast – only that the movie be shot in light sufficient to figure out who is killing whom because both the species are “supposed to” come into their own as the darkness falls। :-)

So when I went to watch “Underworld – Rise of the Lycans”, I wasn’t much worried that I couldn’t recall a thing from the first 2 movies in the series। For some, this will be a disadvantage but for me it was a boon because it freed me from the burden of trying to connect to characters in the earlier movies and helped me concentrate on what’s happening on the screen.

And that is about a new species called “Lycans” which, I think, are basically werewolves but with an ability to retain their human forms। These have been created and recruited by the vampires to protect themselves and human rich folk (nobles!) from the menace of those werewolves who have lost their human form! Sounds complicated? :-) One of these Lycans falls in love with the daughter of the vampire leader – a sickeningly pale fellow (even for a vampire!) called Viktor! Of course this love story serves as a backdrop against the struggle for survival and power between the 3 species – vampires, werewolves and Lycans।

The movie has the same creepy dark look that is characteristic of such movies – all grey and black, not a bright color in sight, except for the bedroom furnishings and blue eyes of some the characters! The sight of thousands of werewolves is enough to drive anyone up the walls। And I agree with the vampire leader that an offspring born of a vampire and Lycan would be a “monstrocity”. Some of the blood-sucking leeches that we call politicians in India come pretty close to it and they seem to have the Lycan ability to retain the human form :-)

So if you are a vampires and werewolves fan, this one is worth a dekko. For the rest, keep silver bullets and cloves of garlic handy as you pass the theatres screening this movie, just in case :-)

P.S. - I thought that the actor playing Lucian has some middle eastern roots but Michael Sheen seems to be from Wales!

P.P.S. - Check the details of the actress playing vampire Sonja on imdb.com. Her name is Rhona Mitra :-)