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Parents' Guide to

Underworld: Blood Wars

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Gory, so-so fifth movie in vampire-vs.-werewolf series.

Movie R 2017 91 minutes
Underworld: Blood Wars Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 17+

Based on 3 parent reviews

KatieLueWho
KatieLueWho Adult
September 24, 2020
age 18+

Disappointed

I've loved all the movies until this one. It doesn't follow the series they kill off 1 important character and the daughter that was just established in the last film is no where to be seen in the entire movie. The only time she's seen is in flashbacks. Also they completely got rid of the vision connection they had that helped selene FIND her in the first place. Uhhhggg
amirabu2019
amirabu2019 Parent of 13-year-old
November 27, 2019
age 18+

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Following a brief recap of the previous four movies, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS begins as Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fends off lycan (werewolf) attackers. The leader of the lycans, Marius (Tobias Menzies), wants to find Selene's daughter, a pureblood vampire-lycan hybrid, to gain access to her potent blood. But Selene has hidden her daughter away so securely that even she doesn't know the girl's location. Then David (Theo James), who owes his life to Selene, learns a long-hidden secret about his own birth. Meanwhile, treachery abounds within the vampire ranks, with various factions vying for power and everything leading up to a mighty showdown between the vampires and the lycans, perhaps once and for all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (8 ):

The fifth movie in this supernatural action/horror series isn't the worst, but it isn't very good, either; it has moments of mindless fun, but also too much seriousness and mood-killing awkwardness. Beckinsale brings a kind of grace and dignity to her role; in smaller parts, Charles Dance gives the movie a little class, and James is a likable hero. But too many others, mainly underlings, are terribly clumsy in their smaller roles, killing at least half the scenes in the movie.

A new director takes over the franchise for Underworld: Blood Wars, former cinematographer Anna Foerster. It might have been interesting if she had provided a fresh female viewpoint, but it seems as if all she can do is struggle to hold everything together. The composition and editing is sometimes off-puttingly clunky, and the story -- building from four movies' worth of silly stories -- trails off into certain directions that it never returns from. In short, every time the movie finds an enjoyably silly spot to be in, something comes along to ruin it.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Underworld: Blood Wars' violence. Does it seem more or less effective given the stylized appearance? How did it make you feel? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Is the movie scary? How does it compare with other movies about vampires and werewolves? Why do you think it's so graphic? Is that part of the appeal of a film like this? What would the movie be like if it toned down the blood and gore?

  • How is sex depicted in the movie? Is it shown in a positive way, as a demonstration of love, or more as a demonstration of power? What's the difference?

  • How does the movie handle female body image? Does empower women, or does it set impossible standards?

  • Can Selene be viewed as a role model? Is she strong? What is her character like? What are her goals?

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