Underworld: Evolution

Though a slight improvement over its woefully uninvolving predecessor, Underworld: Evolution suffers from many of the same problems that plagued the first film – with the hopelessly drab visuals and needlessly convoluted storyline certainly ranking high on its list of transgressions. The movie, which follows Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and Michael (Scott Speedman) as they attempt to trace the beginnings of the centuries-old war between vampires and werewolves, admittedly does boast a few relatively easy-to-follow passages that prove effective in temporarily boosting one’s interest, though it’s not long before scripter Danny McBride bogs the proceedings down with yet another hopelessly mundane expository sequence. The proliferation of such moments essentially brings the narrative to a dead stop as characters stand around explaining things, with McBride’s misguided attempts at evoking a Shakespearean tragedy (ie there are references to royal bloodlines, sons murdering fathers, etc) only exacerbating matters. The relentlessly (and egregiously) morose atmosphere, coupled with director Len Wiseman’s inability to effectively stage an action sequence, ensures that the series continues to squander its undeniably irresistible premise of vampires and werewolves duking it out, and while it does seem as though Underworld: Evolution will satisfy fans of the original, there’s exceedingly little here to win over this ongoing franchise’s detractors.

** out of ****