UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING (UNDERWORLD: NEW DAWN) (2012)
US
Directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein

CAST:
Kate Beckinsale - Selene
Stephen Rea - Dr. Jacob Lane
Theo James - David

PLOT:
     When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire Death Dealer Selene leads the battle against humankind.

REVIEW:
      How about this. It's the fourth week of 2012 and I'm just now reviewing a movie that actually came out this year instead of reviewing movies that were released last year or earlier. I ave to admit I have a soft spot for the first Underworld as it was a interesting take on the whole vampire and werewolf mythos and how the two are constantly at war. The second film, Evolutions,  was fun yet seemed lacking as it felt rushed more than anything else. The third one, Rise Of The Lycans, I haven't seen all of so I can't really say my opinion of it. And that brings us to the fourth film in the series.

     Kate Beckinsale, who returns as Selene, seems as if she slips  easily and comfortably back into the main role as the lead in her return to the Underworld series. Beckinsale though doesn't really have to show much emotion in this one though except for in a couple of scenes, both dealing with her "family". For the character she's playing this work very well as she's supposed to be playing a assassin, even though this is a simple way to put her character, though it fits very well. The biggest disappointment in the whole movie to me would have to be Stephen Rea as Dr. Jacob Lane. Rea usually gives such powerful performances, even in roles he has small bits in that in this one he just kinda fades into the background. Even toward the end where his secret comes out  and he has a chance to really let go character wise, Rea still stays like a person in a background, as if he doesn't really understand what he should do. The one great surprise acting wise was by Charles Dance as Thomas. Dance does what he does amazingly well and that's act. Though his role is small, Dance probably had the most challenging one as he portrays one of the last of the older vampires and trying to keep his clan all alive no matter the cost, and one that he pays for in the end.

     Now as far as the story goes it had so much potential and still does. The reason why I put it the way I did is because the story starts through the use of TV news clips. This is why I said the story had so much potential. Len Wiseman and his writing could have focused on the purging the news mentions in the first five minutes of the movie and it would have actually filled in a whole movie with all that is mentioned. One that would have been more political based, yet at the same time more filled with cloak and dagger thrills as the Vampires and Lycans would have had to concentrate on being more stealthy and dangerous due to the world both were used to falling apart. That's not to say that Awakening's story isn't bad. In fact it throws a whole new twist into the series as the world is a lot more dangerous now for the Vampires as almost the all the Vampire clans have been wiped out. The main twist in the story was pretty much broadcasted in the trailers for the movie for those that paid attention. But, it also brings out a whole other side of Selene that she never thought she had. It as well adds a whole new dimension to her character.

     The biggest flaw in the movie to was the overuse of CG. Even though the CG isn't as bad as some of the recently released movies, it still sticks out more than it should. Considering that the previous entries in the Underworld series had really great effects on the Lycans, specially the first Underworld movie, this seems like a slap in the face during parts. The one thing the series has always done well is the action. This one is no different as the action is part of the main draw for this movie. And yes it does get bloody, specially when the Lycans start showing in numbers. As I went I saw the 3D version of the movie I should mention that the movie was a lot of fun this way as the movie was shot in 3D, and not post conversion which makes things feel flat. Everything just pops in this movie thanks to it. From scenes that show wide open spaces, to the use of bombs that release silver dust that affects Lycans. The movie was fun if not a little bit empty story wise.This I think the writers did on purpose due to the studios wanting to continue the series farther and wanting a plausible way for another sequel. Other than my gripes Underworld: Awakening is a fast paced entry in the series that barely slows down to catch it's breath while adding another layer to the series that still has plenty to offer.

BEST DEATH:
     Even though it's not the bloodiest, it's after Selene first wakes back up and you realize that she still kicks ass by taking out five guards in less than 2 seconds and with style.

BEST LINE:
     This is a new war. And it's only beginning.

FUN FACTS:
     Underworld: Awakening is one of the first films to be shot on the EPIC RED cameras in 3D.

     Underworld: Awakening is released on the same day as Underworld: Evolutions was six years ago in 2006.

     The director of Rare Exports, Jalmari Helander, was offered the the job of director.

LONGINUS

LONGINUS (2004)
JP
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura

CAST:
Atsushi Sakurai - Mysterious Man
Takehiro Katayama - Soldier
Toshiyuki Kitami - Doctor

PLOT:
     A war rages on, its end unknown, a group of soldiers bring in one of their own to a field hospital, wounded by a large, vicious, bite-like wound. Suddenly, an enigmatic man appears and starts to tell them the legend of the Lance Of Longinus.

REVIEW:
      As I mentioned earlier this month in a review, Ryuhei Kitamura is one of the fathers of the modern Japan Gore films thanks to his film Versus. When I find a director I like I try to see everything by him, or her, if possible, though sometimes it's easier said than done. Kitamura was one of those directors who knows how to handle the aspects of over-the-top silliness without sacrificing the dramatic punch of a film which is something a lot of the newer Japanese gore directors haven't gotten a hold of yet. So when I found out about Kitamura's Longinus I just had to track it down. And now, here we are with my review of it.

     Kitamura just has a feel that translates onto the screen of how to handle limited space yet at the same time how to make the most of it. It's also his use of camera angles that help expand the universe we are seeing. Even though he's not the best action director, one thing he does well is keep the camera steady on the action where everything is on full view. Another thing he does reasonable well is he tries to keep most performances grounded in reality as much as possible even when the story goes into unrealistic territory. It's this grasp of direction that helps keep the viewer attached to the screen. And as with most of Kitamura's films he doesn't shy from using gore, but doesn't go over the top where the entire cast is covered in red like so many of the more recent horror directors from Japan.

       While most of the acting in Longinus is decent enough some stand out more than others. Some are just average such as Atushi Sakurai as the Mysterious Man. This was Sakurai's first role and despite that he does a adequate job though he could have shown just a bit more emotion. Hedio Sakaki is still great as a bad guy. Sakaki knows that to be menacing he doesn't need to act crazy or talk as if he owns the world. He understands that by talking softly as well as with authority can be much more alarming. And in Sakaki's role in this he carries a lot more weight thanks to his acting.

     Even though the film is only 40 minutes long, it feels so full and has no real slow parts in it. Even the scenes of everyone standing around questioning the Mysterious Man, has a sense of urgency to them. The story is so concise and tight that it doesn't seem like anything is missing, except for the background of the war that is going on. I'm sure that if the running time was longer for the film, the full story of the war would have also been explained as from what they tell of it in the film it seemed like the war has been going on for years on end. Also at the beginning of the film when they were burning the Doctor's body you could tell they were in a city, yet it seemed like the city was dead or evacuated. The other thing that could have been done better with the film, apart from a few minor gripes, is if it had a longer run time, as in if it was full movie.

BEST DEATH:
      The rupturing of the Commander's crown.

BEST LINE:
     In the ashes of war, death and violence are everywhere. They have no reason to hide themselves anymore.

FUN FACTS:
     The film was released in 2004 in Japan.

     The film was never officially released in the US.

    Director Ryuhei Kitamura was offered the job directing The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, but turned it down, citing a poor script.

HELLSING OVA V

HELLSING OVA V (HELLSING: ULTIMATE OVA V) (2008)
JP
Directed by Hiroyuki Tanaka

CAST:
Jouji Nakata - Alucard
Yoshiko Sakakibara - Sir Integral Fairbroook Wingates Hellsing
Fumiko Orikasa - Seras Victoria

PLOT:
      The mission of Hellsing, that was founded by Abraham Van Helsing, is to protect Queen and Country from the undead and other supernatural forces of evil. Yet as the scale and frequency of incidents involving the undead escalate in England and all around the world, Sir Integra discovers that the remnants of a Nazi occult group called Millennium that wants to bring back into power the Third Reich by creating a battalion of vampires.

REVIEW:
      As those that have been reading this blog know by now, I've talked about having a backlog of movies and films to watch. It ranges from sci-fi to martial arts to horror to anime. So needless to say, I won't be hurting for movies to review here. But somethings get put on the backburner sometimes, such as when a director contacts me about reviewing their film. Or when a newer movie is opening up, I tend to review those first just to try to stay somewhat current. So Hellsing: Ultimate OVA V is one of the ones that I've been sitting on for about a year now and I decided to go ahead and watch it.

     As this is the fifth volume of the series, those that don't really know what is going on will be completely lost as there is no rehash of what has gone on before. Yet the best way to put this volume for the first half of it is the quiet before the storm. Sir Hellsing is talking to the British military leaders about the invasion that is about to happen, to their dismay at that, and not quite getting through to them that England is in the greatest danger it has ever been in. This is after her servant, Alucard, has found out that the Millennium group has already put their own members into power in the military. All the while having to deal with veiled threats by the Vatican secret special forces, Section XIII Iscariot, to take care business or they'll take care of it for them.

     Back when anime was first really starting to become a big deal in the U.S. there was a movie called Fist Of The North Star that came out and had the moniker of the worlds first "splatter toon". I am happy to say that Hellsing: Ultimate carries on this proud moniker with ease considering that half of London is either blown to hell or is being eaten. The animation is smooth and more detailed than most other anime. The story will be confusing to anyone that hasn't watched the previous OVAs (Original Video Animation) or hasn't read the manga. But for the ones that have will love it considering that nothing is censored or considered to over the edge. Even the weird dream sequences Alucard has is left in due to his boredom while aboard a carrion ship that used to be naval battleship that he's modified to more his liking. Hellsing: Ultimate can almost be considered art with the look and feel throughout its short runtime, yet there is plenty that is happening to keep everyone enthralled.

BEST DEATH:
     This one is hard to narrow down due to the last half is almost all bloodshed.

     Such as decapitation by wire,

     And by blade.

BEST LINE:
     You are all newborn, baby vampires, and I am in the business of destroying such vampires.

FUN FACTS:
     The first four Hellsing: Ultimate OVAs were released in the States by the now defunct Geneon Entertainment.

      Hellsing: Ultimate is based directly on the Hellsing Manga.

DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT

DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT (2010)
US
Directed by Kevin Munroe

CAST:
Brandon Routh - Dylan Dog
Sam Huntington - Marcus
Peter Stormare - Gabriel

PLOT:
     The adventures of supernatural, penniless nightmare investigator, Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans.

REVIEW:
     I first heard about Dylan Dog when it was going into pre-production back in 2008 and it went by the title Dead of Night. It caught my interest just because it sounded like it could be a fun movie, and a throw back to movies from the late '80s and early '90s. Then it seemed like the movie got stuck in production hell. Then toward the beginning of last year a trailer popped up on line with a new title.  Bad part about that is that it just said coming soon and no date was attached to it hence more waiting unfortunately. Well my wait is over and the movie is out, now to see if it lives up to my expectations.

     I'll go ahead and say that I think that Brandon Routh is underrated as an actor. He plays things low key and always with a hint of self depredation. Even when he played Superman a couple years back, he played him more low key. And here he is again playing it more to the vest at the same time though more open. Routh is the best part of Dylan Dog hands down. If the movie could have used more of someone though it would have been more Peter Stormare's Gabriel. Anytime he shows up on screen, he steals it, overacting and all. Even Taye Diggs does wonderfully in his role as the head of the vampires, playfully smug yet at the same time menacingly. As for Sam Huntington, I have nothing against him as an actor, I just found his character in the movie as grating more than anything else and at times kills the movie all together.

     Now I want to talk about the big bad in the movie. I was let down completely by it. It didn't pose a threat as big as they said it would and to really end its reign of terror, all you really had to do was pull the damn cross out of it's back. Done and over with. Another thing that didn't help is the terrible CG effects added to the big bad, as is just made it look like a science fiction channel monster reject due to it was just a little above their standards.This isn't to say that the rest of the creature effects in the movie are bad, quite the opposite in fact. The zombies each have their own look about them, they age each time you see them, and the funny thing is that they have to keep on buying newer body parts to replace the old ones that get to ragged. The vampires though look like they came from the Buffy T.V. series as they get a reptilian look to them when they go full vamp. The really bright spot in the creature feature section is the rouge zombie. The thing looks like a tank on feet and acts like one as well they way it plows through minor characters.

     I'm not going to say that I loved the movie, cause I didn't love it. I thought it was okay. There was just way to many flaws that kept bugging me throughout the movie. I know that it is basically a low budget horror movie (once it's funding cuts got done with they had 8 million dollars only to make it), but that doesn't mean you cut the story with comedy to make up for it. Another problem is that even though the movie was shot in New Orleans, it didn't have the atmosphere that permeates other movies shot or centered around the area. I've read a little bit of the comic series this was based on, and I must say that even though I like the humor they put into the Dylan Dog character they should have kept the character more downtrodden. Also, I really miss seeing the Groucho Marx chacater pop up even though I understand why the film makers didn't put him into the movie (the Marx estate wanted 8 million to use the likeness of Groucho, which would have left the production nothing to spend). The truly bright spot in the movie is the noir aspect of the story even though the script writers ruin what ever they build up with it with by putting in a comedic side story for Sam Huntington instead of keeping the story and movie darker. The best way I can put this movie is it's a mess that has bright spots in it even though those spots are razed by feeble attempts to add humor to the story.

BEST DEATH:
     Lobby floor shootout of the vampire variety with magnesium flares.

BEST LINE:
     We don't eat them, they don't shoot our brain stems.

FUN FACTS:
     Dylan Dog exist in the same world as Francesco Dellamorte from Dellamorte Dellamore.

     Both Dylan Dog and Dellamorte Dellamore were created Tiziano Sclavi.

     Dylan Dog is the top selling comic in Italy.