Superhero Media: Underworld

Much as I kind of forgot just how good Blade was, I also kind of forgot just how generic the Underworld films were, or at least 'feel' at a distance. Black leather, metal soundtrack and gun-fu fight scenes seem to copy everything superficially good from Blade and The Matrix without any of depth that made those films engaging. In the shadows of the modern world, Vampires and Werewolves, sorry, Lycans, have fought a secret war for centuries. Ok, so this is all pretty generic and overdone by now, but I have to admit that Underworld does have a pretty good take on the old formula. I like that the Vampires live communally in old houses on big estates and the Lycans live communally in dens like wolves, providing a point of comparison as it highlights difference, which is a nice little touch in such a ridiculous film. Like Blade, I can't help but make comparison to the White Wolf "World of Darkness" games, especially with how the Elders work (which I'll cover later), but that may be down to WoD being a collection of so much Vampire 'lore' that anything coming since can't help but borrow the same tropes. 

When the protagonist, Selene, sees that the situation is escalating and the existing leadership is unable or unwilling to do anything about it, she wakes the elder vampire, Bill Nighy, who exposes a conspiracy between a Vampire leader and the Lycan Alpha to kill the ruling Vampire Elders. Put together, the whole thing is wonderfully silly, in the way this kind of film should be, and Nighy sells the power and majesty of an antediluvian Vampire better than about any media I have seen. Resplendent in his ancient robes, Nighy batters away Vampire and Lycan alike with his sword, bullets deflected by his flesh, until only the "Abomination" (Vampire and Werewolf) is left to stand against him. It's a fun scene, and shows off just how superhuman the Vampires can be. Whereas the Blade films (especially the second and third installments) focus on close quarters combat, Underworld has more gunplay and both sides rely on high-tech ammunition to do their fighting, liquid silver and UV bullets and all that stuff even too crazy for World of Darkness. 

I don't, for a moment, wish to disparage fans of this film and series, I appreciate fun trash and attractive women in tight leather as much as most, but Underworld does come across as a weaker imitation of Blade for the most part. Also, whilst Selene does have a journey to go on and an emotional arc, the narrative is really driven by Lucien and his quest for revenge against Bill Nighy for killing his lover. Apparently, one of the later films covers this story, but as Selene and Lucien have little to do with each other in the first film, it feels as if, once again, the more interesting protagonist has been sidelined for the more appealing one. Should I ever get around to that Urban Horror Gang Skirmish game I keep talking about writing, I'll be revisiting Underworld, because there is plenty of inspiration here, even taking into account all of the cliche layered on top. For supers games, take a look at the Bill Nighy fight in the third act, he really looks like he could be fighting Captain America, Wonder Woman or Hellboy with no real change to the scene. Don't your supers games need more Vampires anyway?