When Underworld first hit theaters in 2003, it had all the ingredients to become a classic. The concept of vampires versus werewolves was a novel idea, especially since both creatures are staples of the horror genre. Director Len Wiseman, along with Danny McBride and Kevin Grevioux, crafted a mythology that was strong enough to support five films, an animated anthology, and a few comic books. Kate Beckinsale was the backbone of the whole endeavor, and her fantastic performance as the vampire Selene put her in the ranks of Sarah Connor and Ellen Ripley as an enduring action heroine.
Selene and Michael: Worlds Apart
At the start of Underworld, Selene and Michael exist in two different worlds. As a Death Dealer, she hunts down and eliminates werewolves on behalf of the vampire coven she works for. Michael is a medical student who gets caught up in the supernatural world when the werewolves begin to hunt him. This draws Selene into the fray, and she soon learns a startling truth: Michael is a descendant of the Corvinus bloodline, which connects both vampires and werewolves. Thus, the race is on, with the werewolves believing Michael is their greatest weapon against the vampires, and the vampires willing to kill him to eliminate his threat.
The Budding Romance
From the opening, Underworld places a heavy emphasis on the romantic foundation between Selene and Michael. Selene happens to catch a glimpse of Michael while riding the subway, and the usually stoic Death Dealer seems smitten by the mortal man. Beckinsale and Speedman have great chemistry, and you can feel the waves of sexual tension rippling between them whenever they’re in the same room. This scene culminates in Selene having to bite Michael to save his life—unlike most vampire bites, this one is tender and has a romantic undercurrent. The budding relationship between Selene and Michael also mirrors the one that the werewolf Lucian (Michael Sheen) once had with the vampire Sonja; this forbidden alliance led to the vampire/werewolf war and was further expanded upon in the prequel film, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.
Echoes of Romeo and Juliet
The origins of Underworld actually mirror the background of one of its writers. Kevin Grevioux drew a fair amount of inspiration from Romeo and Juliet when helping to co-write the script. He also looked back to his time studying biology and chemistry to inform how vampires and werewolves were depicted in the Underworld universe. Instead of being created through supernatural means, both vampires and werewolves carry different strains of a virus that grants them their abilities. The idea of science-inspired vampires had already been tackled in Blade, but Underworld helped popularize the subgenre and gave life to a new breed of supernatural action/horror films—including I, Frankenstein (which Grevioux wrote the graphic novel of the same name that the film was adapted from).
When watching Underworld, it’s easy to see how Romeo and Juliet permeates its narrative. Selene and Michael are star-crossed lovers who belong to different sides of warring factions. Despite this conflict, the two are drawn to each other. Both also suffer greatly for their love: Michael is experimented on, while Selene has to contend with the vampire leader Kraven (Shane Brolly), who lusts after her despite her rebuffs. Thankfully, Selene and Michael’s story has a better ending than Romeo and Juliet’s, as they manage to slaughter the forces opposing them and run away together. Technically, they’re already dead, thanks to Selene’s vampirism and Michael becoming a vampire/werewolf hybrid at the film’s climax—no need for dramatic suicide scenes.
Expanding the Underworld
Underworld was a surprise box office hit, which allowed Wiseman, McBride, and Grevioux to continue with their plans for a film trilogy. “From the very beginning, Len and I were interested in creating an Underworld trilogy,” McBride said when discussing the future of the series after the first film. In 2006, Underworld: Evolution was released. Three years later, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans would expand upon the past events of the first Underworld, as well as the tragic romance that led to the vampire/werewolf war. Evolution further pushed the romantic angle, with Selene and Michael consummating their relationship after an intense chase scene. It’s a slow-burn sequence that builds upon the events of the first film, as well as Beckinsale and Speedman’s chemistry. Rise of the Lycans is more tragic than the previous two films. It reveals that werewolves were once slaves to the vampires and expands upon the scene in the first film where Lucian is forced to watch Sonja burned alive in front of him.
The Absence of Romance
The fourth film, Underworld: Awakening, brought a bittersweet tone to Selene/Michael’s love story. Selene awakens after being in cryogenic sleep to learn that both vampires and werewolves are being hunted by the government. She also discovers that she and Michael have a daughter, Eve, who inherited her father’s hybrid abilities. Sadly, Speedman chose not to return as Michael, and his absence can be felt throughout the film. Michael is such an integral part of Selene’s life. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to have him appear in some capacity? Without the romance of the first two films, Awakening and its sequel, Underworld: Blood Wars, feel rather hollow. If Underworld is ever rebooted in the future, the creative team behind it would do well to remember the romance at the core of the series, and what will be lost if it isn’t included in some fashion.