Blu-ray Review: Mind-Numbing Franchise Continues with ‘Underworld: Awakening’

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CHICAGO – How did we get to four “Underworld” movies? Sure, the first one is decent B-movie entertainment and there are even moments in the fourth one, “Underworld: Awakening,” recently released on Blu-ray and DVD, that find a bit of that glee but these are such products of a marketing machine. There’s nothing interesting, original, or exciting here. You watch ‘em and forget about it ‘em by the time your Blu-ray player has powered down. Don’t bother. There are better ways to spend your time.

Blu-ray Rating: 1.5/5.0

I know, I know. I’m being too harsh on a movie for which the main reason for its existence ie Kate Beckinsale in black leather. But why is “Underworld: Awakening” so boring? Anyone who’s played a video game in the last ten years has seen more inventive action and don’t get me started on the vampire/werewolf mythology and how it has been more interestingly used in about three dozen projects. There’s just nothing that makes a film like “Underworld: Awakening” stand out. There’s certainly no dialogue worth remembering and even the action fades by the time the next scene starts. For a very loyal audience, it’s a decent rental. Everyone else can do better.

For the record, “Underworld: Awakening” does come home with an impressive array of special features including five featurettes and a commentary track. The marketing machine keeps churning.

Underworld: Awakening was released on Blu-ray and DVD on May 8, 2012
Photo credit: Sony

Synopsis:
Kate Beckinsale returns as the ultimate vampire warrioress Selene in Underworld: Awakening, the stunning new installment of the epic saga. Having escaped years of imprisonment, she finds herself in a changed world where humans have discovered the existence of both Vampire and Lycan clans and are conducting an all-out war to eradicate both immortal species. Now Selene must battle the humans and a frightening new breed of super Lycans to ensure the death dealers’ survival.

Special Features:
o 5 Behind The Scenes Featurettes:
o Selena Rises
o Resuming The Action
o Awakening A Franchise, Building A Brutal New World
o Casting The Future Of Underworld
o Building A Better Lycan
o Filmmakers’ Commentary
o Blooper Reel
o “Heavy Prey” Music Video
o Cracking the Underworld: Picture-in-Picture Experience

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com