A Film Critique of the Underworld (2003)

In 2003, a dark and intense film about the old-fashioned rivalry between vampires and lycanthropes called “Underworld” was made and shown in cinemas. Underworld revolves around the antiquated war between the sleek vampires and tough wolves; set in a fantasized European setting, the raging war between the two mythical creatures employs martial arts, medieval artillery, high-powered guns, and flesh-to-flesh combats from the beginning until the end.

The Central Message

The central message of the film, like most films of this kind, is the transformation of an individual into a more elaborate character and the dilemma between duty and love. The film also revolves around the consequences of losing one’s self-identity as emphasized by the main character. The film depicts a metaphor of the consequences and effects of long-standing wars between tribes, races, and religions to an individual caught in between wars. There had been many occasions and events like these wars throughout history.

The Plot Elements Examined

There are many crucial plot elements found in the film. One of the most significant plot elements was when the main character, Selene, discovers that the war between the two races is getting worse than ever because the raging war is already affecting humans. Another significant event in the film is when Selene meets a human to whom she eventually got attached; the human who caused the main character the question her self-identity and responsibility because of some circumstance. And lastly, the violent climactic battle between the main character and the villains in the Lycan’s den sorted out and ended the main character’s dilemmas.

The Most Intriguing Part

The most intriguing part of the film was the extreme violence throughout the film. The blood-filled encounters had been controversial and yet, metaphorical. The creation of an alternate form of a stronger and more powerful man, the vampires and the lycanthropes, also brings subjects of interest and imagery. The blood and this new form of man are an allusion to New Testament in the Christian religion because these are the symbolism and message of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, as mentioned in the Christian Bible. The connections are not supposed to be intentional, but the film is always a subject of these significant ideas to ponder with.

My Two-Cent Opinion

Although considered an interesting and compelling idea, the blood-filled feature and violence also bring disturbance and shock to the film. The blood, gore, and heavy violence in the film have turned Underworld into a dark and heavy film to see.

The film would be better with lesser violence and blood than what is shown in the film. Because of this too much violence, the intention of presenting biblical values had become vague. The values and positive messages in the film had been overshadowed by the extreme gore and violence throughout the film.

The most critical question that needs to be addressed in the film is: are the creatures vampire and lycanthrope presented well in the film? The long-standing fictional battle between the two creatures had been presented in different ways. However, the way the vampires and lycanthropes are presented in the film is not the way they are traditionally presented. Vampires are usually presented with sharp teeth, live in a huge and dark castle, and are able to fly. In the film, though, they are in human form, unable to fly and use guns. It is the same with Lycans. Traditionally, they are disambiguated men who are awakened by the shine of the full moon. The film presented a different kind of werewolf. The modernization of the character can either be good or bad. It is good because it shows the creativity of man. It is bad because somehow, the original form of the creatures will be lost and forgotten forever.

Reference

Sherwin Squad, UNDERWORLD 2003 FULL MOVIE, YouTube, Published on Jan 5, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd73pxw6g9U