(7) UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS with Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, and Kevin Grevioux. Directed by Patrick Tatopoulos (The Bridge).

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, as the title suggests, has significantly more werewolves, which if you ask me, is a plus.

For those of you who were fans of the Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, based primarily on the fact that Kate Beckinsale, as Selene, spends most of her time in black, skintight latex and leather outfits, you are going to be sorely disappointed in the latest Underworld offering. She only makes a brief cameo appearance at the very end of the film.

The film, set in the past, focuses on the relationship between werewolves and vampires. We find ourselves transported back to a time when the first werewolf capable of taking human form, Lucian (Michael Sheen) is born and the vampire elder, Viktor (Bill Nighy), decides to use this new race to serve as slaves. Their job: to protect vampires while they are vulnerable during the day as the wolves are (literally) baying at the door.

Lucian becomes Viktor‘s protege, but resents being enslaved and being forced to take the lives of true blood werewolves.

The animosity (pardon the pun) between Viktor and Lucian deepens as Lucian‘s relationship with Viktor‘s daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra) blossoms.

There is definitely a sense of “I‘ve seen this all before” and the plot is somewhat predictable, especially since a lot of it had been alluded to, and in some case blatantly stated, in the first film.

Having said that, Rise of the Lycans does help fill in some of the background story and helps explain some of the character motivations that drive the plot of the two earlier films. Directed by Patrick Tatopoulos, who moved up from his previous role as creatures designer and supervisor for the earlier films, the latest film stays true to the powerful representation of both vampires and werewolves.

All in all, although the movie will not have the same fresh appeal that the original had, it is still worth watching. – Reviewed by Derrick Spies