Back when the Underworld franchise began in 2003, I didn’t think by 2017 we’d be five films deep into this particular series. I enjoyed the first film for what it was but with each installment, I failed to see the appeal beyond Kate Beckinsale and the decent stylized violence on full display. There are fans out there for these films, especially overseas where these movies perform even better than they do domestically.

So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Underworld: Blood Wars has seen the light of day. The studio cut some costs with this one and it had grossed nearly $45 million overseas before it even opened over the weekend (with the UK still on the horizon to add even more coin to its revenue). Clearly, they see the international appeal but the problem on display is that this was clearly made to make some kind of profit and nothing more. The film is pretty much business as usual and while I’m a fan of “check your brain at the door” action on certain occasions, the film doesn’t achieve any traction in that area because it takes itself way too seriously. It’s apparent that the filmmakers believe we’ll care about the deeper motivations of its story but only hardcore fans will be pleased while others will be bored to tears.

In this installment, we follow vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Director Anna Foerster, who is a TV vet making her directorial debut on the big screen, is competent in crafting the action and there is energy within these sequences (I was particularly impressed by a moment where Beckinsale slides across the ice on her knees and uses a sword to brake and do an 180 degree turn) but you quickly learn the film is a one trick pony. There needs to be more on the table if all the film has going for is its music video quick cuts and a deliciously dark color palette.

The screenplay, credited to Cory Goodman, is where most of the problems lie. The film is very plot heavy but the plot itself is a bit ridiculous. Despite how ridiculous it is, the film doesn’t seem to think so. All involved seem to be taking this very seriously so it dilutes the camp that the film clearly needs. There are a series of double-crosses and revelations but they don’t amount to much and it’s hard to care about anything that’s going on.

If the film has one true saving grace, it’s Kate Beckinsale. She’s a very capable actress and is a believable action heroine. If anything this franchise has been good in that regard because it shows that she can do just about anything. I will say that I’d love it if she utilized her talents in better material because she deserves more than what she’s given here but at least she doesn’t look bad surrounded by all this mess. The other actors don’t make much of an impression but Theo James may provide eye candy for his fans but that’s about the nicest thing I can say about him here. I’m sure he can be solid but this is clearly Beckinsale’s  show.

I guess I shouldn’t expect much from the fifth installment of a mediocre franchise (its early January release date should be a big red flag) but I was hoping for something a bit more fun. There is potential here to be a solid 90-minute diversion but it’s a pretty dull endeavor and Kate Beckinsale alone isn’t worth the price of admission this time around.

Reel Talk gives Underworld: Blood Wars 1 Reel