which makes "Romeo and Juliet" a legendary story was completely absent in this mythical mash-up. The film is curiously hollow given the mythos and pre-established continuity of the first two Underworld movies and fails to capture the same spark or angst that has made other Vampire-Werewolf tales (like "Twilight") such a hit. We are immediately thrown into the already constructed relationship between Lucian and Sonja, which robs the audience of the fun of watching their romance take hold of their hearts and begin pushing them towards their tragic end.

Everyone has a counterpart to the Shakespearian tragedy; aside from the obvious Romeo and Juliet duo, Viktor is so clearly Fulgencio Capulet, who controls not only the life of his daughter but his entire house; Tannis, in his infinite wisdom, fills the role of Father Laurence and attempts to carve out some kind of life for the star crossed lovers; Luka plays the same role as the Capulet Nurse and is entrusted with Sonja's secret and then Raze very artificially steps into the part of Mercutio and friend to Lucian.

And even with such defined parallels, "Rise of the Lycans" struggles to maintain a balance between the attempted romance of Lucian and Sonja (which does have its highlights), and the growing rebellion within the Vampire fortress.

Former special effects guru-turned director Patrick Tatopoulos may have shot the entire story to seem harsher, more gothic and further the idea that this is a mythological origins tale, but the constant darkness robs "Lycans" of the passage of time and in doing so makes the real scope behind the Lycan slavery difficult to comprehend. The definition of the torturous circumstances of the immortal race is instead outlined only in a vacant prologue and unemotional spiel that serves more as a forgettable history lesson than lead up to an epic adventure.

It is only once the Human Nobles arrive and Lucian †the first of the Lycans and lover to the vampire princess †removes his collar that the ice-thin plot begins to take shape. As the Lycan escapees retreat to the forest, the movie becomes "Defiance" with werewolves (sans the Russian dialogue and the Nazi's of course) and provides some degree of amusement.

What Worked

"Rise of the Lycans" serves as a chance for fans of the Underworld series to witness the events they have only visualized in the first two nosferatau adventures, and it includes plenty of impalement and meaningless action to pass a few hours. During the Lycan escape, there were numerous "ooh" and "ouch's" as the renegades are harpooned by their twilight masters in some of the most random body parts possible.

The romance wasn't quite like the lightning which doth cease to be, but it did hold some entertainment value and the cliff-side sex moment did raise the bar a little for the union of mythical monsters.

What Didn’t Work

The ruthless politics of the Vampire nation were far too underplayed and would have helped re-affirm the divide between the immortals (and would also have given Bill Nighy something substantial to do besides chastise his daughter for her absence at the council meetings.

In addition, the fortress and slave quarters seemed very small and claustrophobic and more in line with the kind of sets you would expect to see in a television series. In normal circumstances, such close-knit quarters would only create a more intimate atmosphere but given the action-themed story of "Lycans," all intimacy was traded for a grand battle.

In much the same sense, the fight scenes are kept very short and to the point, and Tatopoulos greatly overuses the technique of blood splattering on the wall from an unseen victim instead of exploring other options to capture the gore of the newly begun war.

Plus, Kate Beckinsdale's "cameo" at the end of the movie was wholly unnecessary and acted more of a last minute reminder to the audience that an even greater tale exists beyond "Rise of the Lycans."

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"Rise Of The Lycans" stars Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy and Rhona Mitra. The movie was written by Danny McBride, Dirk Blackman and Howard McCain based on a story by Len Wiseman, Robert Orr and Danny McBride. It was directed by Patrick Tatopoulos.

Alan Stanley Blair is the Assistant News Editor for Rabid Doll and its sister site SyFy Portal. He is currently studying for a diploma in Freelance Journalism and can be reached at ablair@syfyportal.com.

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