Underworld Trilogy – The Essential Collection (2003 – 2009/Screen Gems/Sony Blu-ray Box Set)
Picture:
A- Sound: B+ Extras: A Films: A-
For
centuries, a secret war has been going on between the Death Dealers (vampires)
and the Lycans (werewolves). No one
knows why this blood feud began, but each side is determined to wipe each other
out. When the beautiful vampire Selene
discovers the Lycans are interested in a recently human turned
Lycan Michael, she not only uncovers a conspiracy within the vampire
coven, but a secret the vampire elders haves been keeping from them... but
more importantly why they want to kill the Lycans so badly ....and a secret
that will change her life and both their races forever.
In Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, the story
centers on the two characters Selene and Michael. Both of them are caught in a war between the
Vampires and Lycans, but secretly the vampires started the war to prevent the emergence
of new powerful vampire/Lycan hybrid. Selene
is a beautiful young vampire who discovers Michael is the key to that
evolution, and he becomes the first hybrid. This causes not only escalation of war, but in
the end the death of two vampire elders.
Eventually both Selene and Michael become lovers and they are on
the run from both races. Searching for a
solution, both Selene and Michael confront and fight the original
vampire/werewolf brothers and in the end Selene becomes a hybrid as well. Together, they become 'the future',
and they become both the symbolic and literal hope of co-existence.
The 3rd film, the prequel, Underworld:
Rise of the Lycans is about how the blood feud started between the vampires
and the Lycans. The main story is about
Lucian, one of the first of the Lycans and how the werewolves were first enslaved
to do the vampires biddings, but because of Lucian's feelings and his secret
relationship with Elder vampire Victor's daughter, Sonja led to the eventual
extermination, revolution, then freedom and blood feud between races,
which leads up to first two films.
If you like vampires, werewolves and action then look no further, this is a
must have for vampire and werewolf collectors. Underworld
creates a world where vampires rules from shadows and werewolves rule the
underground in a war that spans across ages with either swords, guns, fangs or
claws, the two titanic species locked in epic combat with excellent special
effects, action and costuming. This
arrives as a fourth film is due in theaters for 2012.
The 1080p
transfers are same as the previous Blu-rays and look as good as they are ever
going to in this format, while the first film remains PCM 5.1 and sequels Dolby
TrueHD 5.1, all sounding as dynamic as possible. Extras include tons of stuff including all
previous extras (that we can gather) including behind the scenes featurettes,
interviews with director and cast, character and creation of the world of
Underworld, music videos, outtakes and much more as well as disc with
the first-time-ever anime shorts of the films that make this the preferred
set to own and a nice box at that.
- Ricky Chiang