The "Underworld" series were critically mauled yet also successful B- Movies that delivered the cheap undemanding thrills required and also took their dystopian fantasy stories refreshingly seriously, creating a complex web of ancient and modern tragedies and the dilemmas and conflicts they created, to be resolved in bloody epic battles.
After Len Wiseman's aborted attempt to restart a series that had already played itself out entirely by film 2 (film 3 was just a prequel) two years ago, the rest of the team has gone on to a 'spin-off' happening within the same universe but with different players.
Like the 'Underworlds', this is the creation of Kevin Grevioux, the hulking gravel voice actor who proves that brains and brawn can co- exist. The idea is painfully simple, immediately after the end of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein's monster is sucked into a war between demons (from Hell obviously) and Gargoyles, who are actually soldier angels who fight them and protect mankind disguised as Gargoyles (yes) Giving the reanimated finger to the Gargoyles and their Queen Leonore, he kicks his heels for 200 years until the Demons start stalking him again. Their leader, Prince Naberius, disguised (originally enough) as a rich businessman, is funding research by Professor Terra and her assistant into the reanimation of dead flesh with a view to creating soul-less bodies for all the vanquished Demons to return to Earth in to do battle. Caught between the two sides, he gets more and more peesed off until he hooks up with Terra and prevents his creator's journal from being used to bring about the Demon-clypse. Most of this is achieved by fights in alleys, disused buildings, lane, dank alleys a cathedral and an impersonal high rise tower lab. That's it plot-wise, since most of the film is about 'atmosphere' and 'action'.
The action is run of the mill, and director Stuart Beattie lacks Wiseman's skill in creating interesting visual excitement. The Demon warriors mostly look like the same 'grunge skater kids that explode when killed incredibly easily in their dozens' from 'Blade' and like people wearing crap rubber masks when in Demon form. The Gargoyles on the other hand look like cast members from "Clash/Wrath of the Titans" looking for work, before they become rather silly looking rubbery Gargoyles. With modern technology there are of course plenty of ways that inventive and innovative living Gargoyles can be created on screen, but sadly this film doesn't use them. However there is plenty of action and fighting and chasing around and it is never boring, which is important. The atmosphere is better, and like its father series, is dark and gloomy and set in some time-less Eastern European city that's conspicuously free of people most of the time. (ditto with 'Underworld', but since these are meant to be secret wars going on out of Human sight, it makes sense they take place away from hubs of Human activity. And it's cheaper than casting extras of course.)
Aaron Eckhart no less plays the Monster, dubbed 'Adam', as a surly angry guy with reasons to be so. Eckhart has excelled in portraying tortured souls, and here is another one to the list. However anyone expecting pain and pathos won't find it here, his existential angst is entirely internal. Being shot in Australia, most of the rest of the cast are Antipodians we have seen here and there. Yvonne Strahovski has nice legs and a pretty face, though how convincing such qualities are for a supposed leading electro-resuscitation expert is anyone's guess? Miranda Otto, she who was Eowyn, is suitably regal as Gargoyle queen Leonore and brings the necessary gravitas required. Jay Courtney, he of 'Jack Reacher' and 'Good Day to Die Hard' fame, takes a smaller role as Gideon, Leonore's number 1 Gargoyle who acts more like number 2 throughout (Well Angels can be assholes too I guess) 'Underworld' veteran Bill Nighy is naturally back as Prince Naberius, though he tones down the over-dramatics this time since he is meant to be undercover as a dull businessman, which is pretty much how he is for 90% of the film, while series creator Kevin Grevioux plays a large hulking black henchman (surprise!) but it at least shows he is not above typecasting himself.
It has been brutally savaged by critics, which at least shows it is truly part of the 'Underworld' universe. If you are looking for a cheap, un-demanding B-movie with some action and intrigue between slumming serious actors and rubbery CGI bendy toys then this is fun and entertaining. Obviously anyone expecting more should know they won't get it.
After Len Wiseman's aborted attempt to restart a series that had already played itself out entirely by film 2 (film 3 was just a prequel) two years ago, the rest of the team has gone on to a 'spin-off' happening within the same universe but with different players.
Like the 'Underworlds', this is the creation of Kevin Grevioux, the hulking gravel voice actor who proves that brains and brawn can co- exist. The idea is painfully simple, immediately after the end of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein's monster is sucked into a war between demons (from Hell obviously) and Gargoyles, who are actually soldier angels who fight them and protect mankind disguised as Gargoyles (yes) Giving the reanimated finger to the Gargoyles and their Queen Leonore, he kicks his heels for 200 years until the Demons start stalking him again. Their leader, Prince Naberius, disguised (originally enough) as a rich businessman, is funding research by Professor Terra and her assistant into the reanimation of dead flesh with a view to creating soul-less bodies for all the vanquished Demons to return to Earth in to do battle. Caught between the two sides, he gets more and more peesed off until he hooks up with Terra and prevents his creator's journal from being used to bring about the Demon-clypse. Most of this is achieved by fights in alleys, disused buildings, lane, dank alleys a cathedral and an impersonal high rise tower lab. That's it plot-wise, since most of the film is about 'atmosphere' and 'action'.
The action is run of the mill, and director Stuart Beattie lacks Wiseman's skill in creating interesting visual excitement. The Demon warriors mostly look like the same 'grunge skater kids that explode when killed incredibly easily in their dozens' from 'Blade' and like people wearing crap rubber masks when in Demon form. The Gargoyles on the other hand look like cast members from "Clash/Wrath of the Titans" looking for work, before they become rather silly looking rubbery Gargoyles. With modern technology there are of course plenty of ways that inventive and innovative living Gargoyles can be created on screen, but sadly this film doesn't use them. However there is plenty of action and fighting and chasing around and it is never boring, which is important. The atmosphere is better, and like its father series, is dark and gloomy and set in some time-less Eastern European city that's conspicuously free of people most of the time. (ditto with 'Underworld', but since these are meant to be secret wars going on out of Human sight, it makes sense they take place away from hubs of Human activity. And it's cheaper than casting extras of course.)
Aaron Eckhart no less plays the Monster, dubbed 'Adam', as a surly angry guy with reasons to be so. Eckhart has excelled in portraying tortured souls, and here is another one to the list. However anyone expecting pain and pathos won't find it here, his existential angst is entirely internal. Being shot in Australia, most of the rest of the cast are Antipodians we have seen here and there. Yvonne Strahovski has nice legs and a pretty face, though how convincing such qualities are for a supposed leading electro-resuscitation expert is anyone's guess? Miranda Otto, she who was Eowyn, is suitably regal as Gargoyle queen Leonore and brings the necessary gravitas required. Jay Courtney, he of 'Jack Reacher' and 'Good Day to Die Hard' fame, takes a smaller role as Gideon, Leonore's number 1 Gargoyle who acts more like number 2 throughout (Well Angels can be assholes too I guess) 'Underworld' veteran Bill Nighy is naturally back as Prince Naberius, though he tones down the over-dramatics this time since he is meant to be undercover as a dull businessman, which is pretty much how he is for 90% of the film, while series creator Kevin Grevioux plays a large hulking black henchman (surprise!) but it at least shows he is not above typecasting himself.
It has been brutally savaged by critics, which at least shows it is truly part of the 'Underworld' universe. If you are looking for a cheap, un-demanding B-movie with some action and intrigue between slumming serious actors and rubbery CGI bendy toys then this is fun and entertaining. Obviously anyone expecting more should know they won't get it.