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By this point in a franchise, you're either looking for a decent ending or, in the rarest of scenarios, are still highly invested. I was in the former camp. The "Underworld" franchise is one that somehow kept creeping up under the radar and always pretty much doubling or tripling its budget to ensure that a new one was just a few years around the corner.
"Underworld: Blood Wars" has Selene still on the run from both Lycans and vampires, who both seek the blood of her child to ensure their survival or evolution. She is soon recruited by the vampires that have ostracized her in a bid to win the war against the rising tide of Lycan rebels at their door. However, not all is as it seems.
This fifth installment came after the breezy and action-packed "Underworld: Awakening" which, though a quick watch, tapped into the series' visual strengths and packed a pleasant visceral punch. Comparatively, "Blood Wars" brings the goings-on to a sudden halt with a story that skips over the relevant human issues brought forth in its predecessor and just goes back to the well. Unfortunately, that well is running a bit dry. Worse yet, don't try to go back to your roots if you can't afford to.
Yes, that's right, the budget on this installment was slashed in half compared to the previous film and it shows. Conspicuously absent are hordes of Lycans (werewolves) and in there place are just guy in fur coats that we are assured turn into them...sometimes. Even when they do, it seems too little, too late. The action scenes (something the series always managed to pull off even at the worst of times) are lackluster and underwhelming here. Costumes and sets look a bit more suitable for direct-to-DVD than a theatrical film and the lighting (still that signature blue hue) manages to somehow be "off".
However, we can't solely blame budget. After all, the third installment (Rise of the Lycans) had the same budget and managed to be easily among the best in the series, sported tons of practical effects wizardry (yes, hordes of Lycans), was a period piece, AND had some stunning action set pieces. The blame here lies on a script that feels a little too thin despite having more plot than the previous one and terribly pedestrian direction from its director, Anna Foerster. Under more capable hands this movie would of been a bit more palatable.
The actors aren't anything to write home about either. Kate Beckinsale is not allowed to shine much as Selene (with some heavily reduced screen time), an absolute shame as she is the ONLY reason to stick around for this series at this point. To be fair, she looked miserable in this so it was probably for the best. The main villain Marius (Tobias Menzies) has the presence of a fart in the wind and the secondary villain, while better, is not precisely amazing.
This series has time and again used dubious methods to sort some of its wrinkles out and here its at its worst. The Michael Corvin character is unceremoniously dumped (after being a stand in replacement), Selene's daughter is pretty much only spoken about and "shot around" when onscreen, the involvement of humans is completely ignored after being a huge issue in "Awakening", and Selene is put through one of the most incredulous (even for a movie about werewolves and vampires) story ringers ever in a bid to make her a savior figure she already was anyway.
So does it provide a suitable ending for the series at least? Somewhat. Is it satisfying? Not remotely. In fact, a lot of the elements in play feel like a cop out or completely fall flat. This series ends with a whimper not the bang it should have. I give "Underworld: Blood Wars" a 2 out of 10.
