The first movie,
Underworld (2003, Dir. Len Wiseman), shows the magic and science fiction
scenery where the protagonist Selene, a vampire woman, falls in love with the
Lycans’ hybrid experiment Michael Corvin. Basically, the movie offers the
classic stereotype of Lycans, werewolves, versus vampires similar to other
products of the same genre like The Twilight Saga (2008-2012, based on the
novels of Stephenie Meyer). However, as the plot develops Underworld draws a
closer line to The Matrix franchise (1999-2003, Dir. The Wachowski Brothers).
On the one hand, we have Selene who rebels against Viktor, the second elder,
and the current leader Kraven in order to protect Michael. It could be said
that Selene is similar to Trinity from The Matrix having the protector role of
“the One”. On the other hand, Michael’s manifestation of his hybridism, half
Lycan and half vampire, is parallel to Neo’s hybridism as a human and a
machine. Finally, Underworld shows the invention of new scientific weaponry
showing how if Lycans invent a weapon (bullets with UV) the vampire race comes
out with something to fight back (bullets with liquid silver nitrate). In a
way, it shows how both creatures in order to destroy each other are willing to
go on a rearming until perhaps achieving a mutual assured destruction. The
movie ends with Selene and Michael escaping from both vampires and Lycans
knowing that they will be haunted because of seeking peace.
Moving on to
Underworld Evolution (2006, Dir. Len Wiseman), the plot continues showing the
original leaders of both species: The vampire elder Markus and his twin brother
who was born as the first Lycan named William. The movie shows how vampire
blood can be used to transfer vampires’ memories from one to the other. In
order to find his twin brother, Markus chased Selene and drank her blood to
obtain the location. If the first movie was similar to the Matrix Franchise, it
can stated that this one is closer to being similar to the mutants in the
X-Men. As it turned out, Markus and William along with the hybrid Michael are
descendants of the first immortal named Alexander. When the twins were born,
Markus was bitten by a bat while William was bitten by a world. Therefore, the
twins mutated differently and their descendants evolved through time improving
their mutated origin. With respect to Michael, he was Alexander’s mere mortal
descendant. In the end, Alexander turned out to be alive and when Markus
disobeyed and almost killed him, he decided to let Selene evolve using his own
blood. Selene drank Alexander’s blood and she was able to become just as strong
and capable as the hybrid Michael. Now Selene, thanks to her new mutation which
now makes her even protected against sunlight, is “the One” to end the war
between the species just like Michael.
Underworld: Awakening
(2012, Dir. Mans Marlind and Björn Stein) presents a new Selene who faces an
entire new scenery. She is now given the role of a mother from her newfound
twelve year daughter named Eve. Eve is a hybrid just like her father Michael
inheriting the same powers as him. As the story develops, Selene acquires two
new powers: To be mentally connected to Eve and to be able to heal vampires and
prevent their death (as in the case of David, son of the elder vampire Thomas).
During the film it is also shown a new weapon against werewolves which consists
of a grenade that explodes silver dust. By contrast, the Lycans have tried to
experiment on themselves to become stronger and immune to silver by using Eve’s
blood. In the end, Selene loses track of Michael and is left alone with her
daughter Eve while humanity faces extinction by being aware and in the middle
of the war between vampires and Lycans.
Finally, this review
analyzes the last movie called Underworld: Blood Wars (2016, Dir. Anna Foerster). Selene here players the role of the lone heroine who has lost her
family and seeks only to end the war between the species. The relationship of
Selene with Eve and her continuous evolution shows family as the key motivation
to keep on fighting. Parallel the vampire David, son of Thomas, also faces
having to continue war because of his deceased mother’s wish to having the new
leader of the vampires. During the war, the vampires concentrate on avoiding
extinction and evolving through their fusion with nature and natural evolution
(Selene acquires more strength thanks to the water offered by the Nordic albino
vampires). By contrast, the new leader of the werewolves called Marius became
obsessed to evolve by using science and experimentation on himself. Selene thanks
to his blood discovered that Marius had used Michael’s entire body in order to
evolve himself and become the strongest Lycan alive. As it shows, vampires are
humanized having internal conspiracies and a court like appearance while Lycans
are simply the outsider enemy with lack of feelings or intelligence. After a
long epic battle, the movie ends with Selene encountering her daughter and
Selene gives the final lines to the audience claiming that nothing ever ends
nor starts but rather transforms.
In conclusion,
Underworld is about evolution and self-improvement having as the motivation to
survive rather than just evolve to adapt to the environment. The two ways to
evolve are through hybridism between Lycans and vampires like in Michael or
between the same vampire blood like in the case of Selene. The other
alternative was to evolve through the use of science which was the way chosen
by the Lycans having disastrous results making only strong giant sized werewolves
who still cannot overcome their weakness of silver. All in all, Selene provides
to be a protagonist which can be compared with many other heroines like Trinity
from The Matrix franchise or Alice from the Resident Evil series.
