6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The vampire warrioress Selene, escapes imprisonment to find herself in a 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.
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Stephen Rea, Michael Ealy, Theo James, India EisleyAction | 100% |
Fantasy | 55% |
Horror | 21% |
Supernatural | 13% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Bonus View (PiP)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
One, two, Selene's coming for you. Three, four, better lock your door. Five, six, these movies are coming quick. Seven, eight, she kills Lycans great. Nine, ten, here comes Underworld again. Ah, the joys of movie franchises: repetitive, unimaginative, and lucrative. They come rapidly and with no remorse, sometimes with no purpose and no reasonable expectations for anything other than more of the same. There might not be as many Underworld movies -- yet -- as there are flicks in a lot of other franchises, but the cold blue nightmare world of Vampires vs. Werewolves apparently has yet to grow old. The franchise now clocks in at four, count 'em four movies, all of them pretty much the same thing except for number three which traveled backwards in time for some fun away from fully automatic pistols and modern technology for a more brutal look at olden warfare with real deadly weapons. But with fangs and sharp teeth and an unquenchable thirst for blood and dismemberment, who needs any weapons? Filmmakers. And audiences. That's who. The original Underworld defined modern movie "cool," the film depicting modern warfare undead and inhuman style, with slick, pretty Vampires who could be straight out of Twilight doing battle with nasty werewolves who are as menacing and deadly as Jacob is pretty. That film was novel, told a good story, and delivered plenty of action. The problem is that Underworld: Awakening looks and sounds and feels the same. The story is different to be sure, but the rhythm, heart, and soul remains Underworld through and through. It's up to each audience to determine whether "more of the same" is worth the price of admission.
And someone's hungry, too.
Underworld: Awakening features a picture-perfect 1080p video presentation. The film carries over the same attributes from pervious series entries. It's primarily black and blue with little in the way of vibrant coloring away from Selene's bright blue eyes. Red blood intermixes occasionally, but otherwise the palette is largely limited to that cold, inhospitable, demoralizing, hopeless dual tone. The image is actually quite shiny, with light reflecting off of wet pavement and Selene's glossy black leathery outfit, which sort of adds a bright offset to the blue and black scheme. Black levels, no surprise, are rich and deep, and flesh tones are ghostly and washed out by design. The transfer produces fantastic clarity, natural depth, and visual richness, even considering its limited color range. Fine detail is nothing short of extraordinary. Seams and fine lines in clothes, complex facial textures, and all of the little nuances around the frame appear naturally sharp and easily defined. Even the most insignificant details like the evident texture of ribbed hoses or little scuffs on firearms appear with such clarity that audiences will almost feel as if inside the movie. Sony's transfer suffers from an insignificant trace of banding but is otherwise free of any unwanted visual accompaniments. This is a fine, very well-done transfer that shows Blu-ray at its best.
Underworld: Awakening sounds fantastic. Sony's DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack ranks amongst the very best the format has to offer. This one impresses from the opening seconds on through to the closing credits. This presentation defines the modern cinema audio experience. It's big, aggressive, potent, and exceptionally immersive. Though it's loud and deep, clarity remains perfect throughout. Surround use is constant, heavy, and involved. The audience feels as if a part of every scene, immersed into every environment, caught in the middle of every battle. The track provides a nonstop barrage of perfectly-balanced surround sound activity. Whether mood- and location-critical light ambience, the pressurized sensation of underwater sound effects, music playing harmoniously with the rear channels, or high-powered action, the track proves to be one of the most immersive around. And for all the activity it offers, never does the track play as anything but perfectly balanced and absolutely lifelike. Gunfire erupts from each and every corner of the listening area. It tears through the stage as bullets zip and casings clank off the floor. Metal and flesh impacts, likewise, may be heard everywhere, and listeners might be inclined to duck for cover. The track also defines its locations with precision. A seaside port features seagulls maneuvering about, the steady sound of gently rolling waters, and boat horns in the distance. Musical balance is faultless, and instrument clarity is unbeatable. Dialogue is consistently strong and focused, playing firmly up the middle and never once sounding the least bit shallow or lost under the heavy effects and music. This track makes fine use of all of its attributes; the added surround channels help to create one of the most seamless and exciting soundtracks to date. This disc is worth a purchase if only as a top-notch audio demonstration piece.
Underworld: Awakening contains a commentary track, several featurettes, a blooper reel, and a music video. The picture-in-picture extra is
exclusive to the 2D release.
More of the same though it may be, Underworld: Awakening is a pretty fun, slick, well-made little film. It's entertaining and quite watchable, an achievement for a fourth-in-the-series film, and that these things are still going strong in theaters and not being dumped directly to video is a testament to the dedication of the series' fan base, or at least to male hormones and testosterone. No matter what, Underworld will always sell if it's got Kate Beckinsale wrapped up in a tight-fitting leather suit and armed to the teeth with machine pistols. This film's plot naturally advances the series but doesn't really take advantage of the possibilities. Still, it's a fun and serviceable little time killer that should satisfy casual and diehard Underworld fans alike. Sony's done its usual bang-up job on the Blu-ray release. Underworld: Awakening features picture-perfect video, one of the best lossless soundtracks available, and a good assortment of extras. Highly recommended.
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