Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
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A prequel to the first two Underworld films, this fantasy explains the origins of the feud between the Vampires and the Lycans. Aided by his secret love, Sonja, courageous Lucian leads the Lycans in battle against brutal Vampire king Viktor. Determined to break the king's enslavement of his people, Lucian faces off against the Death Dealer army in a bid for Lycan independence.
What critics thought
A mostly negative-to-mixed reception greeted this Underworld prequel, with critics broadly agreeing that Michael Sheen's committed physical performance is the film's sole genuine asset. Beyond that, reviews diverged mainly over degree of failure: some found it passably entertaining genre pulp, while others dismissed it as an incomprehensible, humor-free slog that makes even its action sequences hard to follow. The franchise's fans polled considerably more warmly than critics did.
“offers a satisfyingly exciting monster rally that often plays like a period swashbuckler”
Joe Leydon·Variety
“surprisingly campy fun, mostly succeeding through the power of its lead performances”
Claudia Puig·USA Today
“basically Were-Spartacus, though that makes the humorless, scare-free result sound much more fun than it is”
Clark Collis·Entertainment Weekly
“sluggish when it's not grinding toward the preposterous”
Richard Corliss·Time
“In former effects man Patrick Tatopoulos' vision, these Dark Ages were really dark – so dark, in fact, you can barely see the monster action or register why Sheen and Nighy felt the need to sign up.”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Fantasy, Action, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Patrick TatopoulosDirector
Rhona MitraSonja
Bill NighyViktor
Michael SheenLucian
Shane BrollyKraven
Steven MackintoshAndreas Tanis
Kevin GreviouxRaze
David AstonColoman
Geraldine BrophyNobleman's Wife
Leighton CardnoFearful Lycan
Elizabeth HawthorneOrsova
Jason HoodDeath Dealer
Mark MitchinsonNobleman
Paul HaslingerComposer
Robert OrrWriter
Len WisemanWriterUnderworld: Rise of the Lycans
A prequel to the first two Underworld films, this fantasy explains the origins of the feud between the Vampires and the Lycans. Aided by his secret love, Sonja, courageous Lucian leads the Lycans in battle against brutal Vampire king Viktor. Determined to break the king's enslavement of his people, Lucian faces off against the Death Dealer army in a bid for Lycan independence.
What critics thought
A mostly negative-to-mixed reception greeted this Underworld prequel, with critics broadly agreeing that Michael Sheen's committed physical performance is the film's sole genuine asset. Beyond that, reviews diverged mainly over degree of failure: some found it passably entertaining genre pulp, while others dismissed it as an incomprehensible, humor-free slog that makes even its action sequences hard to follow. The franchise's fans polled considerably more warmly than critics did.
“offers a satisfyingly exciting monster rally that often plays like a period swashbuckler”
Joe Leydon·Variety
“surprisingly campy fun, mostly succeeding through the power of its lead performances”
Claudia Puig·USA Today
“basically Were-Spartacus, though that makes the humorless, scare-free result sound much more fun than it is”
Clark Collis·Entertainment Weekly
“sluggish when it's not grinding toward the preposterous”
Richard Corliss·Time
“In former effects man Patrick Tatopoulos' vision, these Dark Ages were really dark – so dark, in fact, you can barely see the monster action or register why Sheen and Nighy felt the need to sign up.”
Kim Newman·Empire
Genres
Fantasy, Action, Thriller
Cast & Crew
Patrick TatopoulosDirectorRhona MitraSonjaBill NighyViktorMichael SheenLucianShane BrollyKravenSteven MackintoshAndreas TanisKevin GreviouxRazeDavid AstonColomanGeraldine BrophyNobleman's WifeLeighton CardnoFearful LycanElizabeth HawthorneOrsovaJason HoodDeath DealerMark MitchinsonNoblemanPaul HaslingerComposerRobert OrrWriterLen WisemanWriterStream
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