Underworld

Underworld recasts the age-old conflict between vampires and werewolves as a shadowy, contemporary war. Selene is a deadly vampire enforcer who spends her nights tracking Lycans and enforcing vampire law. When she encounters Michael, a man who seems different from the rest, her priorities start to shift. Their growing connection forces Selene to question long-held beliefs and to pry into secrets kept by her own elders. As the hunt tightens, alliances shift and betrayals surface, and Selene must weigh her loyalty against a chance at something that might change the balance of power without revealing the story's final outcomes.

Released in 2003, Underworld was directed by Len Wiseman and created by Danny McBride and Kevin Grevioux. The film stars Kate Beckinsale as Selene, with Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly, and Bill Nighy completing a memorable cast.

The movie did strong commercial business, enough to spawn a franchise of sequels and prequels. Its success helped elevate Kate Beckinsale's profile as an action lead and encouraged studios to explore darker, stylistic vampire properties.

Underworld left a clear mark on vampire imagery in the 2000s. Its leather-clad, nocturnal aesthetic, slick action choreography, and the visual contrast between vampire formality and lycan brutality influenced costume and mood in later genre films and fashion. The film's look and Selene's visual persona became shorthand for a certain gothic, action-oriented take on vampirism.

Critical reaction was mixed to positive, reflected in a middling audience average around 6.8 out of 10. Reviewers tended to praise the film's atmosphere and action set pieces while pointing out weaknesses in plot depth and character development. Central themes include forbidden attraction, questions of identity tied to hybrid nature, and the corrosive effects of entrenched hierarchies and deception within closed societies.