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Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra, Steven Mackintosh, Kevin Grevioux ... see more see more... , David Aston , Geraldine Brophy , Alexander Carroll , Elizabeth Hawthorne , Jason Hood , Craig Parker , Tim Raby , Peter Tait , Shane Brolly , David Ashton , Tania Nolan

The Underworld series gets the prequel treatment with this third outing that fleshes out the story of the ancient war between the vampiric Death Dealers and their wolfman counterparts, the Lycans. F/X... read more read more... technician Patrick Tatopoulos (Godzilla, Independence Day) steps out of the effects lab and into the director's chair with this entry, which sees stars Bill Nighy returning as Viktor, the king of his vampire clan and father to Sonja (Rhona Mitra), a free-minded heir who tests her parent by heading outside of their castle's borders and doing battle with the ravenous werewolves of the surrounding area. Sonja also has a secret love affair with Lucian (Michael Sheen), the first of the Lycans, a race of lycanthropes who were bred by the vampires to be slaves and protectors to the bloodsucking clan. As the news of their love spreads to Viktor, ranks of the vampire elite help Lucian escape, leading to a revolution of the Lycans against their masters and setting up the mythology of the later latexed adventures featured in Len Wiseman's two previous films. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

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68% liked it

211,774 ratings

Critics

30% liked it

77 critics

R, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Patrick Tatopoulos

Release Date: January 23, 2009

Keywords: action, dark, 2nd, vampire, 3rd, werewolf

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DVD Release Date: May 12, 2009

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Stats: 20,967 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (20,967)

  • jmanard52
    May 27, 2009
    jmanard52
    I went in to this expecting nothing good. No Kate Beckinsale?? How could it be good. well i was surprised. Solid sci fi/ fantasy with decent acting. Good effects and an effective telling of the backstory of the original Underworld.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    May 22, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    A surprisingly decent and enjoyable film that is a departure from the previous two entries. I really didn't enjoy the second film, and I was skeptical about this one. I was surprised it wasn't a total waste. The film was better, but it also had its fare share of flaws. The film a... read morelthough interesting in its idea, shows that the filmmakers were struggling with the material that they conceived for this prequel. The film tends to try too hard at delivering a competent story. Despite its potential, the film never succeeds entirely at being a great film. The result is a decent popcorn flick that is much better than the second film, but is overdone. I feel they should just have stuck with the basics instead of over complicating the story. The Underworld franchise has always been about mindless action horror, but where most of the films fail is that the filmmakers tend to put far too much content in its story just for the sake of it. This is a decent third film, one that should appeal to fans of the series. I feel though that a lot more effort could have been put into the films plot to truly make in engaging. However, this series goes for mindless action first, effective story telling second. But the films have delivered anything truly great story wise either. This prequel is decent for what it is, but leaves a lot to be desired as well. Worth watching if you're a fan of the first films, but of all the Underworld films that really stands, the original is the best one to watch. Rise of the Lycans is a decent take at a prequel despite its flaws.
  • fb100000145236770
    May 19, 2012
    fb100000145236770
    "Underworld Rise of the Lycons" is a prequel, which tells the tale of how the war began between Lycons and the Death Dealers. The story was told in the first "Underworld", but here it is fleshed out, and shines a good light into the hatred between Viktor(Bill Nighy) and Lucian(M... read moreichaeal Sheen). Lucien is basically Viktor's personal pet, and the Lycons are slaves to Vampires. Lucien starts a forbidden relationship with Viktor's daughter Sonja(Rhona Mitra), and Viktor is not to pleased. What would happened because of this starts a war that last centuries. I fully expected to not like this movie, which is probably why I waited nearly three years to watch it. However, I enjoyed it, and this it's probably the best of the three movies. The story is generic, and the effects are about the same. But, the biggest difference here is Sheen's performance. He's a great actor,and here he lifts the movie pretty much all by himself. Still, not a great movie, but it's a good watch.
  • MizturY0da
    May 17, 2012
    MizturY0da
    three stars
  • EightThirty
    April 30, 2012
    EightThirty
    04/08/2011 (ONLINE)

    A GREAT PREQUEL! I actually saw a decent fan-made version of this beginning with the "Rise of the Lycans" and blending nicely into "Underworld" as one flick.

    I always enjoy watching this, its so cool. The Lycans, the Vampires, they are just all awe... read moresome! The action is flawless, the setting is bang on and the performances were just on the money for me.

    Absolutely loved it and would highly recommend to those who love supernatural horror films.
  • aquateen2
    April 2, 2012
    aquateen2
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

    Despite entirely missing the presence of the greatly likable Selene (Kate Beckinsale). Replacing her with Sonja (Rhona Mitra) a boring alternative female lead, the prequel in ways improves upon Underworld... read more: Evolution and the original film. Rise of the Lycans shares the highly well executed action sequence editing that made the previous installments memorable and adds a comprehensible plot to the formula with less cardboard performances from the supporting cast. Michael Sheen is outstanding, as is Bill Nighy as the evil Viktor with a more emotional performance. Rise of the Lycans is quite simply a highly unnecessary backstory that unexpectedly impressed me. However as an Underworld fan, I am very glad it was made.
  • phubbs1
    November 19, 2011
    phubbs1
    Hmmmm double edged sword hehe I liked this for its imagery and ideas, my love for vampire and werewolf films sways me to the dark side and I can't help but love the blood dripping, hairy moon walking action :)

    Problem is although there are some nice lycan moments of battle actio... read moren and great misty dark looks there are just so many silly moments and things that just don't add up. For starters I have these questions....

    1. Why does Viktor have blues eyes yet no others vampires do?
    2. Why do the vampires need protection from the lycans? protection from what?
    3. Why do they need lycan slaves?
    4. Why are most lycans long haired men? no females?
    5. When Viktors daughter was put to death why didn't Lucian just turn to lycan form and free her? (as he did when he attacks Viktor after her death, he breaks his chains without a problem)
    6. How come Raze (big black guy) can just rip dungeon doors off at the final battle sequence? why didn't he just do that at first to escape?
    7. What happened to the human nobility?
    8. Why were there humans chained to the back of the human nobility's wagon? (where we meet Raze)

    There are just so many questions that spoil the film, I also hated the endless stream of armour clad vampires that just live to die from lycan attacks, much like stormtroopers hehe
    The film is good and does complete the trilogy nicely but its very holey plot wise. The effects are nice, lots of cgi of course but its reasonable, some slightly risky lycan cgi in places but the vampire makeup and costume is excellent, Nighy's blues eyes really pierce the darkness.
    I just wish to see more of the vampire background in the underworld universe, vamps around the globe, how the species started originally, their higheracy or nobility outside Viktor etc..
    I could watch a fourth about the vampire origins :)
  • DreamExtractor
    June 21, 2011
    DreamExtractor
    Underworld Rise of the Lycans was a decent film and in my opinion the best in the series. It is a prequel to the original and was in my opinion the most interesting. Michael Sheen play Lucian, the first Lycan who disobeys his adoptive vampire father Viktor (Bill Nighy) and goes... read more and saves Viktors daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra), which Lucian is in a relationship with. After that, its the Lycan slaves against Viktors vampire army. The werewolf effects were very poor, it was very cheap looking, unlike the other Underworlds. I enjoyed the acting in this version, Micheal Sheen, Rhona Mitra, and Bill Nighy are very good and dramatic. The plot was actually interesting, even if many parts were very slow. The movie had no guns as it did before, instead in this version we have medieval weapons and crossbows, which are just as bloody, but there is more story in this movie than action, and for me, that was a little sad. Underworld Rise of the Lycans was the best in the series, even with many flaws.
  • ythelastman89
    May 31, 2011
    ythelastman89
    This was a movie made for the fans of the previous two movies and serves as an elaborated back story for all the characters we've grown to love. This gives us back the acting talents of Michael Sheen and an even more evil Bill Nighy, but also introduces Rhona Mitra as Sonja. Whil... read moree it's sort've weird not having your two protagonists in the movie, it's still really well made. This is something that most people wanted to see because the Lycan/Vampire world is so cool to look at. This certainly delivers on that end; the gothic landscape is amazing. While you can tell that there was a tighter budget for this, they did a great job with what they had. Most of the special effects look fine and the style is similar enough to what Len Wiseman set up that it's very acceptable as an Underworld movie.
  • shawnewing92
    March 14, 2011
    shawnewing92
    This film is just a major disappointment to any fan of the Underworld series. It feels nothing like the first two movies and without the great acting of Kate Beckinsale the film also feels quite boring. In my opinion this whole prequel movie was unneeded and a waste of time becau... read morese anyone who had watched the first film in the series knew the whole plot.

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Whitty
January 26, 2009
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

It is not necessary to have seen the first two Underworld films to fully enjoy the third. It might be helpful, however, to first see a bartender. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 26, 2009
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

The storyline essentially replicates that of Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, meaning that if you've seen one or both of them, there's no compelling reason to spend your hard earned dollars on th... Full Review

Jason Anderson
January 26, 2009
Jason Anderson, Toronto Star

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is as unnecessary as it is uninvolving. Only fans desperate to learn how the whole vampire-werewolf conflict began are likely to get anything out of this viewing experie... Full Review

Claudia Puig
January 26, 2009
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is surprisingly campy fun, mostly succeeding through the power of its lead performances. Full Review

Manohla Dargis
January 26, 2009
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

Unlike Mr. Nighy, who puts an amusing camp spin on his every line and gesture, Mr. Sheen appears to have taken his monster duties seriously. Full Review

Glenn Whipp
January 26, 2009
Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times

The third film in Screen Gems' grimly competent, vampires-versus-wolves franchise. Full Review

Michael Rechtshaffen
January 26, 2009
Michael Rechtshaffen, Hollywood Reporter

Round 3 in the vampire-werewolf battle to the undeath rises to the occasion.

Clark Collis
January 26, 2009
Clark Collis, Entertainment Weekly

Sheen and Nighy do their best with the material, but this is easily the worst Underworld so far. Full Review

Joel Brown
January 26, 2009
Joel Brown, Boston Globe

Director Patrick Tatopoulos was responsible for the creature effects in the two earlier installments, but he's not great at staging fights or directing actors. Full Review

Joe Leydon
January 23, 2009
Joe Leydon, Variety

The performances are forceful enough to keep things interesting even when no one is sprouting fangs or drinking blood. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Lucian: I love you.
    • Sonja: And I love you. Your face will not be here when this is over will it? Goodbye my love.
    • Raze: Lucian, it is finished!
    • Lucian: No, this is just the beginning.
    • Lucian: I saw what you did out there... very brave... for a human. Have you come across them before?
    • Raze: Only in stories...
    • Lucian: Were you not afraid of them?
    • Raze: Yes, but I wanted to live.
    • Lucian: Are you afraid of me?
    • Raze: Yes.
    • Lucian: Well, do not be. I will not bite... much.
    • Lucian: I have no wish to remove one shackle from around your necks, only to replace them with one of my own. You'll have a choice: you can run and hide, or you can stay and fight. Any man who fights with me shall have his freedom and, if he wishes it; immortality.
    • Viktor: [to Sonja] Without the loyalty between us, we are no better than the beasts at our door.
    • Lucian: I've lived by their rules my entire life. I've protected them. envied them, and for what? To be treated like an animal. We are not animals! Is this want you want? We can be slaves, or we can be, LYCANS!
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