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Parents' Guide to

Underworld: Evolution

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Hyper-violent and absolutely not for kids.

Movie R 2006 105 minutes
Underworld: Evolution Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Chloe Lynn Cui Treska
Chloe Lynn Cui Treska Adult
June 25, 2019
age 17+

Ages 17+

Not recommended for people under the age of 17
Zandra W.
Zandra W. Adult
May 4, 2017
age 12+

Apparently a violent movie?!

Possibly would have been a good movie, it sounded inter sting, only the screen are so dark it was impossible to see what was going on. Fight scenes sounded awesome and would have been great to see as well Don't bother, unless you'd like a audiobook to fall to sleep to
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION, Death Dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) is still trussed up in black latex and still icy-eyed mad at her lot in life. With her vampire/werewolf hybrid boyfriend Michael (Scott Speedman), she seeks information and weapons to use against the vampires who are bound to come after them, since she killed head vampire in charge Viktor (Bill Nighy) at the end of the first film. Currently in charge of evilness is Alexander Corvinus (Derek Jacobi), who directs his S.W.A.T.-style team from aboard a hyper-teched-out ship. Corvinus is looking for Selene and a key and his sons, William the werewolf (Brian Steele) and Marcus the vampire (Tony Curran). The brothers were bitten by different creatures and so became the first of each race, instantly deemed enemies forever. William's imprisonment "for all time" upsets Marcus, who vows to save him when he is himself released from a tomb. To achieve this end, Marcus needs Selene, who has a "blood memory" of the location of the brother's sarcophagus. The film is primarily comprised of fight scenes, almost all initiated by Marcus, who flies around with gnarly bat-wings and spikes his victims against walls.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (14 ):

Stylized and extraordinarily violent, this sequel repeats the formula of the first film. Nothing that happens this time will surprise anyone, except, perhaps, the fact that Derek Jacobi has agreed to play the oldest immortal ever. Selene and Michael again try to sort out their identities, and Marcus tries to reunite with wolfy William in order to run the world.

More interesting and never quite examined is the notion of "infectious" race. The vampires see the werewolves as odious for just this reason -- anyone they bite becomes a werewolf. And yet, the vampires are in the same sort of boat. Their similarity is vaguely instructive, races generally being cultural and political concoctions, their myths and backstories functions of power-grabbing and territorial squabbling. But their infectiousness provides the possibility for provocation and perception: race here is not inherent or stable or a means of fixed identity. It is mutable and mutating. All the generic, frankly tiresome bloody war stuff in Underworld: Evolution doesn't quite obliterate this insight.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Underworld: Evolution's representation of race differences. If the vampires and lycans are descended from the same father, as revealed in this film's mythology, their centuries-long battle seems especially tragic and futile. How might the hybrid characters -- both the werewolf/vampire mix Michael and the new breed Selene becomes -- hold a hope for a future not premised on race-warring?

  • How necessary is the movie's violence? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: January 20, 2006
  • On DVD or streaming: June 6, 2006
  • Cast: Bill Nighy , Kate Beckinsale , Scott Speedman
  • Director: Len Wiseman
  • Inclusion Information: Female actors
  • Studio: Screen Gems
  • Genre: Horror
  • Run time: 105 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: pervasive strong violence and gore, some sexuality/nudity and language.
  • Last updated: June 1, 2023

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