Kate Beckinsale returns as Selene in UnderWorld: Blood Wars. To date Blood Wars grossed 78.1 million worldwide, pulling in negative reviews from The New York Times and Rotten Tomatoes. UnderWorld is a horror story of the greatest supernatural creatures battling through the centuries for dominance and survival. Van Helsing is another film Kate Beckinsale worked on in which vampire and werewolves share the same script. Let’s review each film leading up to Blood Wars, for this is the fifth film in the series..
The first UnderWorld was released in 2003, in the action/horror category as Blade was closing his film series in 2004. UnderWorld’s impact was big enough to become a solid foundation for the future films. Selene is a death dealer on the hunt for werewolves, in belief that they killed her family centuries ago. In this film, the lycans/werewolves, are searching for a human with a unique strain of DNA that will allow the two supernatural species to blend successfully. This union will create a new hybrid immortal, stronger than both the vampires and werewolves. The wanted human is Michael Corvin, who is a direct descendant of the immortal gene. Michael is eventually bitten by both species. He takes on a dark blue appearance with the vampire dominance compared to the next film where his face takes on more of the lycan species.
It was revealed to Selene that it was not the werewolves who slaughtered her family but her coven vampire elder Viktor. Upon killing Viktor, Selene along with Michael are wanted among the UnderWorld.
Evolution is the next movie in the series where Marcus, the first and most powerful vampire is awaken. This movie is a mix between the past and the present for we see the beginnings of the vampire and lycan race. Alexander Corvinus is introduced to the story as the source of the immortal virus. Through the events of the first film, Marcus is mistakely awaken with lycan blood thus transforming him into a hybrid. Unlike Michael’s hybrid form, Marcus is able to take on a batlike appearance, making him more powerful than his normal vampire state. Through the blood memory of the of the lycan and Kraven, Marcus set out to free his brother from centuries of captivity. After witnessing the change lycan blood did for him, Marcus believed vampire blood could turn his twin brother William into a hybrid as well, with the chance of him transforming back to human form once again. Evolution reveals the importance on why Selene’s family was killed for they built the prison William was held in along with its location. With these key events, Selene, Michael and Marcus was eventually led to Alexander Corvinus. Marcus seemingly kills Michael, then impaled his own father for the key to his brother’s prison. Before dying, Alexander offers his blood to Selene turning her into a carrier of the original immortal virus. Selene’s strength increased pass any elder and gained the ability to survive in sunlight once again. Upon William’s freedom, the brothers were confronted by Selene and Michael. Michael was able to overpower and kill William because of his hybrid state, a form William failed to receive in time. With her new powers, Selene brought Marcus to his death along with his brother. Selene and Michael are now the last two immortals with the original virus, is it possible that Selene could become a hybrid as well? Is it possible, through his blood, Alexander could have resurrected Lucian, Amelia and Viktor when he was examining their bodies?
The UnderWorld series went into the past with the Rise of the Lycans. This film expanded on the origin of Lucian and the love affair with Viktor’s daughter Sonja.We discovered Lucian was the first lycan, able to revert back and forth from his animal state, unlike the werewolves William created. With this discovery, Viktor used Lucian to create more lycans like himself as daytime guardians for the vampires, in the manner like slaves. As Lucian grows up under Viktor, Lucian also grows close to Sonja. They are secretive lovers for some time, up to Sonja becoming pregnant with Lucian’s child. With this, Viktor ordered Sonja’s death in front of Lucian, for he forbade the blending of the species. With the help of the survived lycans and the werewolf horde, Lucian acted his revenge on Viktor, nearly killing him and destroying his coven. Viktor, the hibernating Marcus and Ameila, and the historian Tanis, were the only survivors of the retreat. One confusing point was Lucian and Sonja is not of the original Corvinus bloodline. Since their blood was mixed within the child, Sonja and the fetus would not have survived either way right? Also, why wasn’t a sequel made for this film? The sequel could have been a backstory of when Kraven misled the coven into believing he slain Lucian. This backstory would also show Viktor eliminating Selene’s family thus making her a vampire. That story didn’t make it to the big screen and could have been a great addition to the series. Hopefully we will see this film in the future………
Awakening is the next movie to follow Evolution, where the humans became aware of the lycan/vampire species, declaring termination on sight. Selene and Michael is captured among all the other immortals. The importance of their apprehension was confusing for how would anyone know of their increased powers, when all the witnesses were deceased? Awakening revealed that Selene and Michael had a child named Eve, who was the first born, perfect hybrid. Eve is linked to her parents where they can locate one another with mental eyesight. The lycans are studying Eve’s genetics to find complete immunity from all forms of silver. Along the way, a new hybrid lycan is created using the original blood of Corvinus, much like Selene’s transformation to Corvinus blood. Would William have taken on this monstrous hybrid appearance as well if he received blood from his father Alexander? Selene gains a new ally named David, who replaced Michael in the male lead role to Selene. In the ending of the film, the mental link that Selene and Eve saw is believed to be Michael finally escaping his captives.
Blood Wars is next in UnderWorld timeline where the lycans have driven the vampires down to extinction. In Awakening, it was believed both species were suffering extinction but really the lycans had the winning side. Marius is the new lycan leader, with enhanced lycan abilites. In the end of Awakening, the audience believed Michael was escaping his icy prison when really he was being abducted by Marius and his men. Marius gained his new powers by draining the blood from Michael then creating a serum from it. David is revealed to be Amelia’s son, thus making him the heir of the Eastern Coven. Selene gains additional abilities from the Nordiac Coven, in the process killing Marius and avenging Michael. Eve finally is brought in the ending of the film for she was still mentally linked to Selene even though Selene was not linked to Eve. Through all the events of UnderWorld, Selene becomes a powerful elder. Will Michael ever return to the UnderWorld franchise? Producer Len Wiseman claimed there is a 6th film in development, what could be the story plot for this film? Will Selene’s powers increase even further? What will become of the Lycans now that two of their most powerful leaders have fallen? Blade was rumored to become a crossover feature for UnderWorld but was declined. Do you believe Blade could bring back the high interest in the UnderWorld franchise or would he hurt it even further?
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