Vampire movies done right. The vampires versus werewolves franchise has grossed $458.2 million worldwide.
Underworld(2003).
Underworld: Evolution(2006).
I just re-watched both of these movies and though they've received mixed reviews I feel as if I've just watched them for the first time. A rediscovery of some sort. Mind its been quite some time since I first saw both movies. I'd missed this type of dark Vampire action. The films mixing new and old settings is intriguing to say the least, knowing these creatures can exist for a long-ass time.
I absolutely love the overall mood, tone and the cast assembled for these films.
Very cool. The word I'm looking for is: Entertaining.
Kate Beckinsale [Selene] kicks ass as a vampire and is an immediately likable character (read: not just because she's hot. read: gets that Trinity from Matrix class stamp of approval).
There's some neat fight scenes and cgi is actually pretty good in this; very apparent whenever used yes, but still good for a 10 year old movie (Man has it really been this long!??... fuck).
Now of course there's a huge problem. The newer movies.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans(2009) a prequel to the 2003 and 2006 movies.
Underworld: Awakening(2012).
Underworld: Awakening(2012) especially is viewed by a lot of people as the nail in these vampires' coffins so to speak in that it feels cheap, rushed and craps on everything the two first movies established. Who knows how that was allowed to happen. Not enough Care(tm)? Possibly.
all the movies are fuckin great. kate is divine as we see her dodging, punching and shooting everything in sight. the 4th movie, dismissed by many, is an absolute gem of the action genre and one of the best action movies of that year.
the next one cant come soon enough.
>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> ♪ Viva La Vida ♪ <<<<<< <<<<< <<<<<< <<<
First is good. Second is bad. Third is... I shit-deleted it.
Bad franchise.
TWIN PEAKS is "something of a miracle."
"...like nothing else on television."
"a phenomenon."
"A tangled tale of sex, violence, power, junk food..."
"Like Nothing On Earth"
I think the second, Underworld: Evolution(2006) keeps the thread going just fine from the first movie. It suffers from some very odd choices by central characters among other things in my opinion; but I felt as engaged in the action as in the first one.
Saying its a bad franchise is harsh as that's a dooming verdict even of the first film you found good. That said, it needs a ton of the reboot magic to get back into the groove.
A franchise in this case means "many films". As I liked the first one of the many only, it is a bad franchise for me. I am not being harsh.
TWIN PEAKS is "something of a miracle."
"...like nothing else on television."
"a phenomenon."
"A tangled tale of sex, violence, power, junk food..."
"Like Nothing On Earth"
I loved the first one
Had such a boner for Beckinsale for that
But then the other films were just terrible, one worse than the other
I wish they went back to it and kept it at that masquerade bloodlines mood the first one had
More vampire-noir less goth-monsterhunter
I guess in post-Twilight era even Underworld looks like a good vampire movie
When I first saw the original and the sequel I thought they were shit. The franchise aimed for the World of Darkness mood, but the mythology lacked depth and it generally felt... flat, somehow. Like a rehash of themes, devoid of its own identity (which it was). All that silly hybrid blue-smurf-like-something shit didn't help the cause either.
Then, after I stopped having any expectations concerning the franchise, surprisingly enough I actually found myself liking Rise of the Lycans. That was the only one I would consider worth watching. I can't even remember much from the fourth one, even though I know I've seen it - must have been bad indeed.
All in all, it's the very definition of "meh" franchise for me.
Define modern? OK, let's take a look at vampire films released after Underworld.
Let the Right One In (2008) - Awesome
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) -Jarmusch +Tilda+Hiddleston+Hurt? & vampires? Yes, please!
Byzantium (2013) - worse than his Interview but still quite good
Midnight Son (2011)- surprisingly good indie flick that slowly grows on you, great ending
Wir Sind die Nacht (2010) Silly, fun and a tad bit tragic. Great soundtrack and flashy cars
These ones are definitely good vampire films in my book.
PS I'd say Kiss of the Damned (2012) was OK . It is a kinda stylish little flick. I liked it for what it was but it's worse than the ones I listed above
First is good. Second is bad. Third is... I shit-deleted it.
Bad franchise.
Same can be said for Resident Evil movies oddly
Almost. RE2 is weak but okayish, but the rest of the pattern fits.
TWIN PEAKS is "something of a miracle."
"...like nothing else on television."
"a phenomenon."
"A tangled tale of sex, violence, power, junk food..."
"Like Nothing On Earth"
Personally I don't have fond memories of any of these movies, but the first Underworld is probably the one that I liked the most - or hated the least, depending on the pov. (Haven't seen the recent ones, though)
I'm still waiting for someone to come up with something akin to Bloodlines in terms of tone and atmosphere, but I'm beginning to think that it's a mission impossible.
And after What We Do In The Shadows, I really can't take vampires seriously anymore <3
Yea, that's what I'm looking for too.
The short lived Blade tv series had a taste of that.
Along with an elder vampire in the unaging body of a little girl.
Too bad they didn't give it a proper chance.
Also, later seasons of True Blood, but there was too much BS in that show for me to stick around.
I guess in post-Twilight era even Underworld looks like a good vampire movie
There's truth in this. If you don't consider Underworld a good vampire movie, I'm curious what you think is a good modern vampire movie.
Let the Right One In was pretty awesome. Haven't seen Byzantium yet, but I've heard some good things about it. That would be the recent ones (if Byzantium proves to be decent). Other than that, I don't know. Modern times haven't been treating poor blood suckers very well. But move a few decades backwards and things get a lot better. Interview with the Vampire is as good now, as it was ages ago. Same goes for Coppola's Dracula (I know many people have mixed feelings about this one, but personally I love it).
Of course, these are all horror(-ish) movies and Underworld is an action flick, but that's not what makes it bad in my eyes. I just need my vampires to stay somewhat scary and bestial. Different. Slightly eerie, mysterious, sometimes even mystical. Not just people affected by a virus who happen to drink blood and get burned in sunlight now and then, but otherwise don't generally give a fuck.
let the right one in is good. but underworld is an action flick. dont compare it with indie hipster shit and dramas.
Agreed. There's a romance/drama story in Underworld too though but it runs in parallel with the bigger plot. Deeper issue is how the vampires mislead their own people, feeding false stories to fuel hatred and wars throughout the centuries. Definitely not one of those movies that you're meant to ponder, instead just be entertained by the action and cool setting.
Cory Goodman wrote the script, whose plot details are being kept shut in a coffin but which is said to focus on a new and younger generation of vampires and werewolves who are locked in a seemingly never-ending battle between supernatural races.
TWIN PEAKS is "something of a miracle."
"...like nothing else on television."
"a phenomenon."
"A tangled tale of sex, violence, power, junk food..."
"Like Nothing On Earth"
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OK, let's take a look at vampire films released after Underworld.
