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'Underworld' movie review: In pursuit of no man's land

After any overdose, you tend to be wobbly. That is the case even if you watch three or four movies a day. The effect would be the same if all these movies are synced into a single canvas too.

Arunkumar Aravind's Underworld  falls in that genre of genres.

It is for the audience to figure out if it is envisaged as a political crime thriller, pot boiler, a mix of drama and action or whatever it deems fit.

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Most likely Underworld ' starring Asif Ali, Farhaan Faasil, Mukesh and Jean Paul Lal, falls into the category of no man's land in the filmy terrain.

We get glimpses of the craft of the director in occasional shots.

The plot drifts apart wherever it can and the script is not convincing either to hold the audience.

Among actors, Mukesh may just pass muster mainly due to the depth of his character, a Machiavellian politician.

So is this a political movie, as it at times tempts us to believe, through sarcastic dialogues.

It may not be the case. If so, the action scenes should carry the movie. Did it?

Maybe Underworld , a 2 hour, 40-minute movie, would leave us conceptually confused about the genre of the movie.

The sole purpose of the protagonists or antagonists seems to be the pursuit of money.

But in between, the filmaker injects in them a dose of human touch. That struggle falls flat as trials and tribulations of the men in pursuit of a Rs 500 crore booty are again pursued to take forward the plot.

Then there is the usual perceived criminal bend of the cops, depicted in umpteen movies, coming into play again.

So no need for guessing there is a cliched nexus among cops, criminals and politicians. So what is new, you may ask.

As a rule, there need not be anything new, but it could have been crafted in a better way.

So the realisation dawns that not many filmmakers can dabble with varied genres, though an attempt on these lines is not a bad idea at all.

The problem with Underworld is that it is a relentless pursuit of a crime thriller that strays into the grey areas of mass and class. It also tries in vain to trespass into tantalising terrain of a dark canvas.

In the process, Underworld will shake you up at times but lets you slip also.

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Underworld review: A classy gangster drama

Underworld begins with a mildly disturbing hunting sequence. It serves a dual purpose: developing one of the main characters as well as establishing striking parallels to a pivotal scene that appears in the film’s second half. It’s a splendidly crafted sequence in Arun Kumar Aravind’s new film that serves as a testament to the quality of its overall making.

Underworld is driven by the actions of its principal characters. Save for two women, most of them are well fleshed out. But it primarily revolves around the men. Surprisingly, the most important female character in the film is played by someone whose name is not at the top of the cast list. It’s Muthumani, playing a lawyer who stands by a thug named Stalin John (Asif Ali). Though not his love interest, it’s the only female character with the maximum screentime. Even Stalin’s mother takes a backseat to the lawyer’s presence. Muthumani plays the character so convincingly that her actions suggest a backstory, which we never get to know, but could explain why she wants to save Stalin every single time. But some things are better left unsaid.

And being the supremely confident, arrogant and daring man that he is, Stalin needs all the support he can get, because there are not a lot of folks who are there to run to his rescue. That puts someone with his attitude in a very dangerous situation. But in a film that is filled mostly with grey-shaded characters, Stalin is the closest one we feel like rooting for—aside from Majeed (Farhaan Faasil). Stalin and Majeed begin as foes, but sometimes the world’s strongest friendships are forged in the most unpleasant of circumstances. They find an ally in Padmanabhan Nair (Mukesh), a corrupt politician who is in prison for stealing Rs 500 crore. Nobody knows where the loot is stashed except for his partner-in-crime, Solomon (Lal Jr.), a man of dubious loyalty. Solomon is the most psychotic character in Underworld. He has a woman whom he is nice with, but unlike the women in the lives of Stalin or Majeed, Solomon’s better half doesn’t know her husband’s other side. If the other men are open about what they actually do, Solomon is selective about the truths he wants to disclose. An amazing thing about Lal Jr’s chilling performance is that he reminded me of the character his father played in the Mammootty film, Black.

As in his previous films, Arun shows great skill in the way he handles his characters. In Underworld, we get to see Mukesh in his most memorable role in a long time. Padmanabhan is someone who doesn’t smile very often, but when he does, you are not sure of the intention behind it. He has a subtle, indirect way of making threats and exudes so much menace while doing so. Let’s just say he is this film’s Kaitheri Sahadevan.

Shibin Francis’ dialogues are razor-sharp and carry enough force to cut through glass. But sometimes a ‘mass’ line can also get you killed, as evidenced by one particularly unpredictable sequence which reminded me of that Eli Wallach line in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly—“When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.”

Underworld is also one of the most elegantly shot films I’ve seen in recent memory. With the help of cinematographer Alex J Pulickal, Arun imparts a vintage vibe to the frames. It’s an aesthetic straight out of pulp crime novels. I say this because the film feels like reading a vintage crime novel. It mostly takes place in rundown movie houses-cum-gambling joints and mud-filled industrial areas. There is a purpose for each shot, which is left to the viewer’s interpretation. Sometimes the camera lingers on a particular object or gesture to convey the tension in a particular scene. A shot of an ice cube inside a whisky glass may be suggesting the chills arising from a scary confrontation. Sometimes the meaning of a scene is best summed up in the title of a well-chosen book read by one of the characters. In another scene, the confusion regarding the location of a certain scene is solved by the strategic placement of a motorcycle number plate. These examples are enough to show you how meticulous the crew was.

I don’t know if everyone will agree with the film’s deliberate pacing.  I found it to be just perfect. It reminded me of those 70s’ American and British gangster movies which took the right amount of time to bring out all the possible emotions of a character or scene. It’s a much welcome relief from those rapidly-edited films which are in a hurry to get to the next scene without giving the previous scene ample breathing space.

It’s not every day that you see a three-hour film which doesn’t overstay its welcome. Underworld is the longest film since Lucifer (it is close to three hours) to not have a single wasted minute. It’s so beautifully put together that, once the film is over, you arrive at the conclusion that it needed to be this long to tell its story the way the director intended.

Underworld is the sort of gritty gangster drama I’ve been waiting to see from Malayalam cinema for a long time. If it becomes a success, I hope there will be a sequel.

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‘Underworld’ movie review: A rather flat take on the world of crime

This malayalam movie is typical story of crime, revenge, and political-mafia nexus, all rolled into one.

Updated - November 05, 2019 02:58 pm IST

A still from the movie ‘Underworld”.

One of the things that stand out in Underworld is its conversations. Now, this is not a positive comment, for conversations are not supposed to stand out, but gel in, without making us feel that the person on screen is delivering lines someone else has written.

Take for instance a series of conversations between Padmanabhan Nair (Mukesh), a wily politician undergoing jail term in a corruption case, and Solomon (Lal Jr.), a criminal who has not only kept the ₹500 crore of the politician’s loot in safe custody, but also has an eye on it. Every single time Solomon visits him in jail, they speak to each other in riddles, to issue veiled threats or make a point, with questions like “Your family is all fine?”

• Starring: Asif Ali, Mukesh, Farhaan Faasil, Lal Jr.
• Direction: Arun Kumar Aravind

Even Stalin John (Asif Ali), a small-time thug who thinks highly of himself, is not free from this particular affliction. It is almost as if normal conversations are impossible in their parallel world. At the same time, director Arun Kumar Aravind spoils some scenes by over-explaining, like where Stalin John, after a confrontation with a local leader of the Communist party tells him — “You know what Stalin is capable of, right?”. The camera then zooms into a book on Josef Stalin lying on the leader’s table and remains there, in case the viewer missed it all the time it was there as a prop.

Written by Shibin Francis, Underworld is a typical story of crime, revenge, and political-mafia nexus, all rolled into one, with a lot of scenes written specifically for the protagonist to walk with a swagger, in slow motion. Stalin and another local thug Majeed (Farhaan Faasil) strike up a friendship in jail and arrives at a deal with Padmanabhan Nair to help him recover his money from Solomon, in return for their freedom.

Vague strokes

The central characters are mostly written in vague strokes, with only faint hints of their backgrounds. Solomon’s evilness is established early on, in a scene where he shoots down his pet dog. Padmanabhan Nair makes one feel as if he is the master of all the puppets, with his cryptic lines on how even his own arrest was part of the plan, but the script does not have anything in store to show that he was ever in control. The women characters, except Stalin’s lawyer and mother, get sidelined after two or three scenes.

After a moderately engaging first half, things go quickly downhill, as all the build-up for a face-off seems as hollow as the bombastic lines some of the characters mouth. Riding high on its style quotient, accentuated by an effective background score, Underworld does not have the substance to make it a memorable take on the world of crime. The heft is only in the dialogues, not in its material.

Published - November 03, 2019 09:28 pm IST

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Underworld Malayalam Movie

Editor-turned-director Arunkumar Aravind's latest directorial venture is an action drama about four people with grey shades. In a non-linear manner, Arunkumar effortlessly establishes the premise of the characters before entwining them for a single purpose. His treatment is clearly crisp (including dialogues) and it is bereft of heavily done dramatic sequences or emotions. Still the template of 'Underworld' is not devoid of formulaic elements and situations.

At the outset, 'Underworld' mainly focuses on the life of Stalin John, played by Asif Ali, a wayward youth with a criminal background. Three other people enter his life gradually and it decides his fate. Albeit a theatre owner, Stalin converts it to a gambling hall as he finds screening of films is not profitable. He has problems with local politician Sadasivan (Arun) as Stalin runs the cinemas on the land leased out to him by Arun, who wants to evict him from there.

The petty cases against Stalin start to grow, and eventually one blast case against Stalin lands him in jail. There he meets Majeed Abdul Rahman (Farhaan Faasil) and politician Padmanabhan Nair, played by Mukesh, who is in jail in a money scam related case. Through Padmanabhan Nair, Stalin comes to know about Solomon (Lal Jr.) and then onwards the game of action changes.

As I mentioned, 'Underworld' has a familiar plot, which sparks waves of predictability in the second half, and patently, your musings about the fate of characters move in the right direction. Arunkumar once again proves his craft in the treatment utilizing the available scope in the screenplay, written by Shibin Francis. The pace the director establishes here gives an engaging feel sometimes even as 'Underworld' misses the required punch for an action movie. The thriller factor eludes from the film, which has handy and striking frames lent by Alex. J. Pulickal.

Lal Jr., who is a director, makes his acting debut, and he, undoubtedly, pips other actors with a striking performance. The callous acts of Solomon are beautifully presented by him with confidence. Asif appears in the usual role of an aimless youth, who is living with his mother, played by Sreelakshmi. It's disappointing to see Samyuktha Menon in the miniscule role of a KSEB employee. The character of Farhaan fails to keep up the fire and energy in him after his association with Stalin. Mukesh is a surprising addition as one of the villains.

The vital punch is missing in the regular pattern of the tale to make the winner-loser game interesting. The director has tried to go the extra mile in the narration but the plot is not so compelling to leave an impact on you. Lal Jr.'s performance is the highlight in 'Underworld', and apart from that, the film hardly leaves anything to cherish at all.

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• What is the release date of 'Under World'? Release date of Asif Ali and Samyuktha Menon starrer 'Under World' is 2019-11-01.
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Len Wiseman’s 2003 action horror film Underworld introduced the thousand-year-old war between the lycans (werewolves) and vampires. The first film was such a success among fans that it spawned an entire franchise now comprised of five movies in total, with possible additions to come, and even a video game. With such an impressive filmography, this is how every Underworld movie stacks up against one another.

The franchise centers around one specific vampire named Selene ( Kate Beckinsale ). The actor has spent well over a decade portraying the character with an unmatched elegance. Selene is an ideal hero character as she displays honesty, integrity, empathy, and is driven to do what is right. As the battle wages on and new enemies are introduced, she remains true to herself and stands as a strong female figure, similar to Ellen Ripley from Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979).

Related: Underworld's Full Movie Timeline Explained

Len Wiseman spoke of a potential sixth installment back in 2017, but considering Beckinsale has retired as Selene, it became a very unlikely possibility. Underworld has the potential to become a television series or the franchise could abandon Selene altogether to make an entirely new reboot. Regardless of future plans, here are all of the Underworld installments ranked from worst to best.

5. Underworld: Awakening (2012)

Underworld: Awakening released in 2012 and focused on the aftermath of the second installment Underworld: Evolution (2006). Now that the government and citizens have discovered the existence of vampires and lycans, they are faced with a brand-new set of problems. As an all-out hunt for both ensues, Selene finds that there is a factor run by lycans named Antigen that seeks to perfect werewolf DNA. The film ends with the hunt for Michael in order to protect the vampire-werewolf hybrid from all threats against him.

The fourth film in the franchise is not necessarily a bad one; it is just as thrilling and enjoyable as the three that preceded it. Where Underworld: Awakening (2012) finds its faults is with multiple plot lines that do not seem to link together towards the end. It causes the film to become convoluted and generally confusing. Furthermore, the film uses an overabundance of blood and gore to capture the brutality behind its action sequences while other installments have been able to do so without it. Ultimately,  Underworld: Awakening  falls at the bottom of this list for its poor execution and inability to live up to the standards of the rest of the franchise.

4. Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

As the years progress, the vampire species are coming close to total annihilation by the lycans in Underworld: Blood Wars (2016). The film follows Selene and the remaining vampires as they train to save their kind. As a new war wages for the two immortal species, Michael dies in the crossfire, which causes Selene to reach her full potential. Out of anger and rage, she and her cohort beat the lycans. Selene, David, and Lena become the new elders of the coven.

Related:  Underworld 4’s Hybrid Child Plot Just Didn’t Work

The fifth and seemingly final installment of the franchise disappointed critics immensely, but fans were pleased. Underworld: Blood Wars relies on the same, stylized of violence as every other film in the series which causes it to become repetitious. Despite this fact, it offered a clean end to Selene’s story arc when she receives recognition in the coven that she always deserved by becoming an elder.

3. Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009)

The third installment,  Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans (2009), tells the story of the first werewolf born that was able to take human form, Lucian. It serves as a prequel to the franchise and shows the complex story of the lycan and vampire rivalry. Viktor, one of the elder vampires, raises Lucian, but forces him to be a slave to the coven. The film ends where the first Underworld finds Kraven revealing to Selene all of the secrets Viktor kept from her. Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans was a refreshing addition to the franchise and added depth to the species the franchise’s hero is destined to defeat.

At the same time, a prequel to the series was not entirely necessary and would have served better had it been situated in a different order than it does now. As the first film did an adequate job in providing a backstory to Lucian, the third installment becomes repetitive and convoluted. It would have done well as a stand-alone film, as it offers a Shakespearean  Romeo and Juliet  (1597) love story between vampires and werewolves. Michael Sheen's performance as Lucian is the only memorable facet of the film. Ultimately, the prequel failed to impress critics and fans due to poor execution regardless of the cast's impressive performance.

2. Underworld: Evolution (2006)

Three years following the release of the first film, Underworld: Evolution released as a direct sequel that details the events immediately after the original movie. Selene and Michael travel to a vampire historian named Andreas Tanis in order to figure out what one of the three original elders, Markus, wants with him. Tanis reveals to them that Markus was the first vampire and one of the three sons of Alexander Corvinus. William, his brother, became the first werewolf and the third son remained human. While it was believed Alexander was dead, he is actually alive.

Selene and Michael locate the original Corvinus hidden under the name Macaro. In the midst of an ultimately successful battle, she comes in contact with Alexander’s blood and is given hybrid abilities. The film built an all new understanding to the world the first film introduced while giving purpose behind the first film's immediate entrance into vampire and werewolf gun fights.  Underworld: Evolution offers the historical background of how Michael came to be and his ancestry while delivering a unique method in strengthening the franchise’s central hero.

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1. Underworld (2003)

It is no surprise that the original Underworld film is number one on the list. The 2003 film introduced new concepts of both vampires and werewolves, which changed an entire sub-genre of horror. Underworld appealed to fans of horror, the gothic, and action. Following Selene as she struggles to have her voice heard in the coven, the film quickly leads the protagonist towards becoming the protector of the lycan-vampire hybrid, Michael.

For Selene, it is a story of self-discovery and realization. As she continues to vouch for her father figure, Viktor, she discovers that it was him that left her orphaned by killing her entire family. Furthermore, he told false stories of how the war between vampires and lycans began. It is an intense entry into a franchise that is dedicated in developing its characters and story line. With glorious fight scenes and emotional moments, the original Underworld seems to have it all.

The future of the franchise is unknown, but it is certain that the movies continue to entertain and offer a different take on classic creatures of the horror genre. As of May 1, 2020, the first three  Underworld installments are available for streaming on Netflix.

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Hear us out: underworld is the most underrated action-horror franchise, on the 15th anniversary of underworld: evolution , we break down why the franchise's campy atmosphere, nu-metal aesthetic, and earnest self-seriousness actually work in its favor..

The huge success of The Matrix spawned a number of films with similar aesthetics: shiny, black leather wardrobes, lots of slow-motion, and action scenes that mixed martial arts with gunfighting. Take all of that and combine it with Blade , and you’ll see a path leading to one of the best action-horror franchises we’ve got — Underworld .

This original franchise chronicles the centuries-long secret war between vampires and werewolves, and while none of its five entries impressed critics — the highest-rated film is the first, at just 31% on the Tomatometer — there is more to it than meets the eye. Sure, it’s full of campy B-movie silliness, but it’s so devoted to its concept and its complex mythology that you can’t help but be enthralled by it. Plus, it gave us Kate Beckinsale as one of the most badass heroines of the 2000s. For the 15th anniversary of the franchise’s second entry,  Underworld: Evolution , we’re throwing on our best black leather jacket and cranking up the nu-metal as we revisit why Underworld is the most underrated action-horror franchise.

It Takes Its Surprisingly Complex Mythology Seriously

(Photo by (c)Screen Gems courtesy Everett Collection)

A franchise about vampires fighting werewolves — otherwise known as “Lycans” — admittedly sounds silly, and it could have remained nothing more than that. But the Underworld franchise’s biggest strength is that it builds a big and complex mythology that it treats absolutely seriously. Because this is not a franchise about a single vampire or werewolf, but whole communities of them, we see how their weaknesses inform their way of life. The vampire covens’ castles have automatic sealing gates outside every window to prevent sunlight from entering. Rise of the Lycans , the third film in the series and a sequel, depicts captured Lycans who are forced to wear collars adorned with silver spikes to prevent them from transforming. We also see a fantastic escalation and evolution of weaponry being used by both sides, from more traditional artifacts like silver swords to UV bullets and grenades filled with liquid silver.

Though not necessarily groundbreaking, the Underworld franchise also introduces new concepts into both the vampire and werewolf mythos. In Evolution, we learn that the first generation of werewolves was not able to return to human form, making them generally more feral. On the vampire side, gone is the need for human blood (any blood is sufficient — even that of other vampires), but we learn that blood carries memory; one can see a another’s entire life flash before their eyes by ingesting some of their blood.

Each film doubles down on the mythology of the previous one while adding a new layer, and one could easily imagine a cinematic Underworld universe with spin-off material recounting the creation of the other covens or the first and second immortal purges of Awakening .

Its Supporting Cast Elevates the Silliness

If the franchise itself taking its mythology seriously helps bring you into its world, then hiring classy stage actors to elevate the sillier aspects of the story makes it feel like you’re watching a Shakespearean horror epic. This starts with Kate Beckinsale herself. Before she was the leather-clad Death Dealer Selene, the Oxford-trained actress played Hero in Much Ado About Nothing  and had appeared in several West End productions.

Then there’s the villains. The moment Bill Nighy shows up in heavy makeup as the evil vampire overlord Viktor, curls his lip, and starts talking about the Lycans, you’re fully committed to this franchise. Nighy’s serious yet over-the-top performance is like watching him play Titus Andronicus one minute and Macbeth the next. His rapport with Michael Sheen’s slave-turned-freedom fighter-turned-villain Lucian was so great to watch that they made an entire prequel just to give Sheen a Spartacus speech to deliver to an army of Lycans.

Evolution brings in former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (Sir!) Derek Jacobi  to play the first immortal man, Alexander Corvinus, and he similarly plays his role as if he were in a tragic stage play rather than a action-horror movie. Just listen to the somber way he speaks about how much it pains him that the war his two sons have begun has lasted for centuries, and that he can’t bring himself to kill one of them to end it all. The latter two movies of the franchise also introduce two Game of Thrones veterans: Charles Dance  (Tywin Lannister) plays a vampire noble who loves his son and gets to do some badass sword-fighting, while Tobias Menzies (Edmure Tully) plays Lucian’s successor as the leader of the Lycans, boasting a commanding presence and a rather enviable hairstyle. It’s a simple yet very effective way to make the villains memorable and the conflict more compelling.

It Features Great Use Of Practical Effects

One of the biggest cinematic crimes in history is the decline of practical makeup and costume design in werewolf movies — something that extends to many other genres across the industry. But Underworld knows that there’s no beating a practical werewolf suit.

The design of the eight-foot-tall beasts that walk on two legs with grey skin, massive necks, and elongated heads are some of the most impressive werewolves in decades, and they are unique enough to be recognized among the crowd of movie werewolves. These Lycans have less fur compared to most other interpretations, with rather Mohawk-like manes that accentuate the beasts’ imposing musculature. Though they are meant to be doglike, the Lycans also possess some feline characteristics, which was the intention from the beginning, to give the Lycans a sense of agility.

The use of practical suits with yak fur and animatronic legs and faces, as well as the extensive wirework, make the action scenes hit harder and the gore feel more real. Sure, there is still a lot of CGI in the franchise, especially in the latter films, but it’s always a thrill to see a huge, practical Lycan chase Selene before she puts them down.

It Feels Like A Nu-Metal Music Video

Though it initially drew comparisons to The Matrix , the Underworld franchise quickly carved out its own gothic look that made the franchise instantly recognizable.

Its use of moonlight and shadow in the cinematography, its excess of black leather, and its use of elaborate sets and European castles make  Underworld feel like you’re stepping into an early-200os Hot Topic store or a late-1990s nu-metal concert. Central to this aesthetic is Kate Beckinsale herself, who first pops on screen in a trench coat, perched in the rain like a gargoyle surveying the streets of Budapest with enough gothic glamour to create an iconic look for the franchise at large. We’re not saying the style is for everyone, but it’s difficult to deny the role it’s played as the signature look for the series; not every franchise can say the same.

It Knows How To Reinvent Itself

Every long-lasting franchise, at some point, has to evolve or die. The recent Fast & Furious movies have little in common with the very first film in the franchise, for example. Though Underworld hasn’t exactly turned into a Mission: Impossible -style spy thriller, it has still managed to change and adapt over time, providing different and exciting experiences for the audience with every entry.

After the first film ends with a change in the status quo for Selene and the worlds of both vampires and Lycans, the second entry dives deeper into the mythology by introducing us to the first of both species. Their look is unlike anything in the first movie, offering a proper winged nosferatu and a feral werewolf straight from a classic Universal monster movie. The third film goes full Romeo and Juliet by returning to the past, making tragic heroes of the Lycans, and trading UV bullets for swords.

Even the more maligned Awakening still offers something new, as it jumps forward in time to a dystopian future in which the Lycans are even bigger and more terrifying. Lastly, Blood Wars   feels like a response to the rise in popularity of Game of Thrones, as it explores even more political intrigue and features an epic fantasy-heavy third act that’s basically an Arthurian myth mixed with the triumphant climax of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers . Seriously, there’s an army of pale, silver-haired vampires brandishing swords in the middle of a gunfight, and it rules.

Underworld: Evolution  was released in theaters on December 17, 2010.

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