Underworld: Blood Wars

Name: Underworld: Blood Wars
Genre: Action, Horror
Released: January 6, 2017
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 23
Cast: Bradley James, Charles Dance, Clementine Nicholson, James Faulkner, Kate Beckinsale

2017

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 177 Ratings

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5.4

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5.4	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 177 Ratings

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Underworld: Blood Wars

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Movie Details & Credits

Screen Gems | Release Date: January 6, 2017 | R

Starring: Bradley James, Charles Dance, Clementine Nicholson, James Faulkner, Kate Beckinsale, Lara Pulver, Peter Andersson, Theo James, Tobias Menzies

Summary: Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Director: Anna Foerster

Genre(s): Action, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

Matt Donato

Jan 8, 2017

Underworld: Blood Wars is the kind of mainstream horror I want to champion, but lackluster technical aspects nullify Kate Beckinsale's kick-ass performance. Read full review

Clark Collis

Jan 6, 2017

While the film may justify its title in terms of the viscera on display, it is badly in need of a funny bone. Read full review

Edward Douglas

Jan 6, 2017

Blood Wars concludes with the threat of further sequels, but this is clearly one franchise that's been fully drained of its blood. Read full review

Chuck Wilson

Jan 10, 2017

Menzies should be just the spark to bring Underworld back to life, but it doesn’t happen. Screenwriter Cory Goodman (The Last Witch Hunter) isolates Marius from Selene and the other major players so that Menzies is left adrift, like a great fighter without a worthy sparring partner. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Peter Sobczynski

Jan 6, 2017

The only notable aspect of the film is that it marks the feature directorial debut of Anna Foerster, a rare example of a woman being allowed to direct a reasonably large-scale franchise film. Alas, all it proves here is that a female director can make a film of this sort that is just as listless, derivative and perfunctory as one made by a man. Read full review

Ben Kenigsberg

Jan 6, 2017

This film is so heavy with exposition that you would think that the director, Anna Foerster, and the screenwriter, Cory Goodman, had set out to complete a dissertation instead of a sequel. Read full review

Peter Travers

Jan 6, 2017

Like the four franchise fillers that preceded it, Underworld: Blood Wars is undoubtedly impervious to bad reviews. What it needs is a stake through the heart. Read full review

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User Reviews

gambroise

Mar 8, 2017

wow, i dont know how this has a bad score ! it's one of the best Underworld series ! Kate Beckinsale is just perfect with her role Selene ! i really enjoy the movie !

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

YoMammy

Jan 9, 2017

i don't know how this has a score of 23 when it's one of the best movies of the year. it's been so long since a new underworld has been out I almost forgot how good it was. the best part is that is seems like there will be more to come yay

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

Nicolas_aslan

Jan 9, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Regardless of what some people have been saying, this is a good movie. It's not a terrific movie, but it also isn't a terrible one. The movie starts quite face paced, and although I would have preferred that the camera lingered a bit more here and there to better display Blood Wars scenarios, landscapes and art craft, it turns out that the main plot develops consistently until it becomes a solid action oriented film.

Blood Wars is surely the name this movie deserves. There is a great war between lycans and vampires, and this time around the lycans are closer than they ever have been from ripping the vampires of everything they possess: their entire coven. Personally, I was really thrilled with each action sequence and I think director Anna Foerster did a pretty good job. The only thing I regret is that the Nordic coven was barely introduced and there wasn't much backstory connecting the pieces with the other covens. It left me thinking that they should make a prequel which includes the Nordic coven and the love story between Thomas and Amelia. It would make for a great film, in my opinion.

Overall, this is a good action film and a good Underworld movie, but if they ever make a sixth film, I would like that they go all out killing Selene and giving the lycans the upper hand, and maybe finishing the saga with a covenant between the races that stops the war once and for all. Also, a sixth installment could finally include Selene's daughter and give her the means to end the war for good. I hope I can see such closure one day.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

Red_Fives

Jan 16, 2023

"Selene? Yes... that was what they used to call me. Selene the Death Dealer. That was my name. I am Selene the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide".

Ngl, although I enjoyed this one, I feel like this one was more "King Arthur" and "Lord of the Rings" than it was a"Selene? Yes... that was what they used to call me. Selene the Death Dealer. That was my name. I am Selene the White. And I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide".

Ngl, although I enjoyed this one, I feel like this one was more "King Arthur" and "Lord of the Rings" than it was a Vampire vs Werewolves movie. Still fun, but I feel like it lost the series identity the other films established.

Also, I thought they did my boy Michael dirty in Awakening…but man, Blood Wars was like, “hold my beer” … Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TheQuietGamer

May 5, 2017

All flash and no substance. Only without the flash. Underworld's sterile take gothic imagery is no longer stylish like it was back in 2003. The writing and characters are just as stale as the movie's environments. I suppose it's possible to care about Beckinsale and the rest if you followedAll flash and no substance. Only without the flash. Underworld's sterile take gothic imagery is no longer stylish like it was back in 2003. The writing and characters are just as stale as the movie's environments. I suppose it's possible to care about Beckinsale and the rest if you followed the previous films, but it doesn't really change the fact that they really aren't doing anything here.

The plot just goes through the motions. We've seen these kind of villains before. Lara Pulver is certainly sexy in a Eva Green sort of way, but her character's motives are as generic as they come. To top it all off all the fantasy mumbo-jumbo going on doesn't even make good use of vampire and werewolf lore. Everyone is just content to spend the entire movie talking about blood. But let's be honest, these movies were never really popular for their story. It was mostly for the vampire vs. werewolf action. It's kind of a lot of fun to watch monsters go toe-to-toe, so I can understand the original appeal. Plus it looked like some actual effort went into the originals. Blood Wars can't even deliver much on an action front either. I appreciate the movie's liberal use of gore. However this all by the numbers and plagued by cheap, dated special effects.

It's clear not much effort went into this. The budget either wasn't big or was severely misappropriated. It's content to have a half-hearted, very generic plot and subpar action. It does nothing to actually move the series forward. I imagine those who actually still follow the series could skip Blood Wars and just wait for the next one and miss absolutely nothing. Essentially it's a generic filler chapter that feels like it was meant to test the waters in order to see if these movies can still pull in money before bothering to make a decent follow up. My advice? Don't waste your time.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

Cheetahice

Jan 24, 2017

Underworld: Blood Wars was a film that I was excited for but that excitement was wasted when I saw it. Of course, no film is terrible the only thing great about it is that it had lots of action in the film for my taste. You will only like the film if you are a big fan of the movie film franchise.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

imthenoob

Mar 14, 2017

The only good thing about this movie is Charles Dance. You could put him in anything and he'd still be freaking amazing so props to him. Aside from that, It's total garbage and just as bad as Awakening, If not worst. Weak action, Terrible story and acting by the cast (aside from Dance). ItThe only good thing about this movie is Charles Dance. You could put him in anything and he'd still be freaking amazing so props to him. Aside from that, It's total garbage and just as bad as Awakening, If not worst. Weak action, Terrible story and acting by the cast (aside from Dance). It sucks to see a once promising series fade away but then again, It hasn't been good since Rise of the Lycans.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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