Underworld 5: Blood Wars (2016), Rated R
Directed By: Anna Foerster
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Theo James, Lara Pulver, James Faulkner, Charles Dance
Rating: 
Reviewed by Xavier Emaka
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Kate Beckinsale makes a return to the underworld in this fifth chapter. While I’ve been a fan of the series since the beginning, I never expected it to get to the point of a fifth installment… and yet here we are. Did it live up to my expectations? Or was it a disappointment?
Underworld 5: Blood Wars starts with Selene (Kate Beckinsale) being pursued by a pack of werewolves (lycans). They manage to corner her, but she fights them off with a little help from a vampire named David (Theo James). The lycans have been on the rise for some time under the leadership of a new wolf called Marius. Marius’s attacks led to the vampire numbers dwindling and they’re now down to only a few covens. Selene is being sought after by both the vampires and the lycans for the value of her blood and the blood of her daughter.
Selene, unfortunately, doesn’t know the location of her daughter. With the vampires realizing they need to act quickly, they invite Selene to a coven to train new recruits. Selene accepts the invitation only to discover it’s a trap. One of the leaders of the coven, Semira (and her lover Varga) use the invitation as an opportunity to capture Selene and begin to drain her of her blood by claiming she killed the horde she was meant to train.
Thomas, an elder vampire and the father of David, helps his son go around palace security to find out where Selene is. Semira also discovers Selene and David are not like the rest. The pair seek refuge in a coven far to the north.
I thought this movie had some great fight scenes and effects, but there was something missing in the plot. It seemed a bit forced. Blood Wars cannot in any way compare to the previous installments of the franchise because of this. The dialogue was another reason it cannot get a higher rating.
The actors can’t be blamed for the overuse of clichés and attempts to sound creative, relying on too many flowery words to sound creative. But the script can.
Blood Wars does, however, progress the story. It answered questions left over from Underworld 4 and it has left room for a sequel. Perhaps an Underworld 6–if there is one–can bring a final resolution to all the conflicts.
For those following the series, it’s a must see, but the casual viewer won’t be missing much.
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