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Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
173K
YOUR RATING
Rhona Mitra in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
An origins story centered on the centuries-old feud between the the race of aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers, and their onetime slaves, the Lycans.
Play trailer2:24
7 Videos
99+ Photos
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A prequel centered on the origins of the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their former slaves, the Lycans.A prequel centered on the origins of the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their former slaves, the Lycans.A prequel centered on the origins of the centuries-old feud between the race of aristocratic vampires and their former slaves, the Lycans.

  • Director
    • Patrick Tatopoulos
  • Writers
    • Danny McBride
    • Dirk Blackman
    • Howard McCain
  • Stars
    • Rhona Mitra
    • Michael Sheen
    • Bill Nighy
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.5/10
    173K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Patrick Tatopoulos
    • Writers
      • Danny McBride
      • Dirk Blackman
      • Howard McCain
    • Stars
      • Rhona Mitra
      • Michael Sheen
      • Bill Nighy
    • 226User reviews
    • 179Critic reviews
    • 44Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos7

    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Trailer 2:24
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Clip 1:03
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Clip 1:03
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans: We Have To Go
    Clip 1:04
    Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans: We Have To Go
    Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans: I Don't Want To Defeat You
    Clip 0:53
    Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans: I Don't Want To Defeat You
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Interview 0:42
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
    Interview 0:29
    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

    Photos202

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    Top cast28

    Edit
    Rhona Mitra
    Rhona Mitra
    • Sonja
    Michael Sheen
    Michael Sheen
    • Lucian
    Bill Nighy
    Bill Nighy
    • Viktor
    Steven Mackintosh
    Steven Mackintosh
    • Tannis
    Kevin Grevioux
    Kevin Grevioux
    • Raze
    David Aston
    David Aston
    • Coloman
    Geraldine Brophy
    Geraldine Brophy
    • Nobleman's Wife
    Leighton Cardno
    Leighton Cardno
    • Fearful Lycan
    Alex Carroll
    • Young Lucian
    • (as Alexander Carroll)
    Elizabeth Hawthorne
    Elizabeth Hawthorne
    • Orsova
    Jason Hood
    • Death Dealer
    Mark Mitchinson
    Mark Mitchinson
    • Nobleman
    Tania Nolan
    Tania Nolan
    • Luka
    Craig Parker
    Craig Parker
    • Sabas
    Timothy Raby
    • Janosh
    • (as Tim Raby)
    Larry Rew
    Larry Rew
    • Kosta
    Peter Tait
    • Gyorg
    Olivia Taylforth
    • Young Sonja
    • Director
      • Patrick Tatopoulos
    • Writers
      • Danny McBride
      • Dirk Blackman
      • Howard McCain
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews226

    6.5173K
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    Featured reviews

    6SnoopyStyle

    Good simple story without Kate Beckinsale

    This is a prequel and an origin story of how the Lycans were born. Lucian (Michael Sheen) is the first werewolf born to take human form. Normally, werewolves turn into vicious animals and never turn back. Instead of eliminating the possible future threat, vampire king Viktor (Bill Nighy) decides to use him to create an army to protect the vampires from the nuisance of the werewolves. Viktor's daughter Sonja (Rhona Mitra) would fall for Lucian, and help him lead a rebellion against the vampires.

    It's a bit of a shock to not have Kate Beckinsale or Scott Speedman. Kate has some narration at the beginning. After I figured that out pretty quick, the story is watchable on its own. Rhona Mitra is a gorgeous actress. She just doesn't have the same level of loveability of Kate Beckinsale. Michael Sheen strips off his shirt and does a really good job. It's a fairly simple story. It's just maybe not what I was expecting.
    7kairingler

    prequel

    when I first found out that this was gonna be a prequel,, I didn't quite get how they were gonna do this,, but after watching the film,, I 'm glad that the producers, writers, and director did it the way that they did,, all in all superb acting from the cast.. great direction,, solid camera work,, great special effects,, had lot's of good battle scenes,, especially at the end,,, I like the idea of the story that explains how the Lycans got to rise to their power,, because at first they were the slaves. I'm a big fan of the 1st two movies,, and this one didn't disappoint,, cept save for the abscene of it's star Kate Beckinsale,, but otherwise a pretty decent movie.
    6Uriah43

    A Surprisingly Good Prequel

    This prequel to "Underworld" is essentially the story of "Lucian" (played by Michael Sheen) and the evolution of lycans (werewolves) from full-time savage beasts to those who change from werewolf to human (and back again). The biggest problem I have with prequels is that the endings are generally already known, so much of the mystery has already been taken away. This film is no exception. For example, anyone who has seen "Underworld" knows that "Sonja" (played by Rhona Mitra) dies. It is also common knowledge that "Viktor" (Bill Nighy) and "Lucian" will live to fight another day. Further, for those who have seen the sequel, "Underworld: Evolution", then they know that "Tannis" (Steve Mackintosh) also survives. So all that's left are perhaps a few minor surprises here and there and the hope of plenty of good action or plot developments in-between. Because of this, prequels are seldom as good as the original movie. Add in the fact that the main star (Kate Beckinsale) of both "Underworld" and "Underworld: Evolution" is absent, along with the fact that another director (Patrick Tatopoulos) is calling the shots, and this movie doesn't seem to have much chance of success. Fortunately, this film beats the odds. Although not quite as good as Kate Beckinsale, Rhona Mitra steps in and gives a very good performance as "Sonja", the daughter of "Viktor". Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy also perform exceptionally well. Likewise, Patrick Tatopoulos manages to stay the course and remains true to the basic theme of the original and sequel alike. In short, this is a surprisingly good prequel and I recommend it to anyone who liked the two previous pictures.
    7Thanos_Alfie

    The Lycans are here...

    "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans" is the third movie of the Underworld series and in this one we are back in time where the race of aristocratic vampires had Lycans as their slaves and we watch how they rise up against the cruel vampire king and what happened next.

    I liked this movie because it was something really different from all the other vampire movies and I also liked the thing that it turned us so back to show us how the things were there and how all this things started from the beginning of them. The interpretations of Michael Sheen who plays as Lucian, Rhona Mitra who plays as Sonja and Bill Nighy who plays as Viktor were simply outstanding.

    Finally I have to tell you that I strongly recommend this movie such as all of the Underworld movies.
    mbrooks-8

    I Am Spartacus!

    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans : In this prequel we get little of Romeo and Juliet and a dash of Spartacus. The vampires have bred themselves a race of Lycan slaves to guard them during the daylight hours, but when Lucian, the favored pet of Viktor the ruling vampire, falls in love with his daughter things go bad rather quickly. The CGI werewolves are leaps and bounds better than their previous incarnations in this series and the only CGI complaint I have is to the occasionally bad CGI blood spray. Rhona Mitra makes for a hot vampire, and Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen return to chew up some nice scenery. After watching the big battle one is forced to ask the question that pops up after watching any of the Underworlds movies, "How did the Lycans lose the war?" Seriously, the vampires in these films are as fragile as a 1978 Ford Pinto.

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    Related interests

    Doug Jones and Ivana Baquero in Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
    Dark Fantasy
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Supernatural Fantasy
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
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    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Rhona Mitra auditioned for the role of Selene in Underworld (2003) but lost it to Kate Beckinsale. For this film, when Mitra was thought of as an option, concerns were brought up that there was too much of a physical resemblance between the actresses. Those concerns were quickly dropped when it was mentioned that the very reason Viktor turned Selene into a vampire was due to her resemblance to Sonja. Therefore, the resemblance was not only justified but vital.
    • Goofs
      (at around 18 mins) When Sonja is riding out to greet the human nobles and receives her "sharpened" sword from Lucian, you can see she doesn't know how to properly wear/carry the sword while on horseback and the sword actually falls out of its scabbard. There is a quick cell-change as this happens and the sword magically puts itself back in the scabbard and rights itself.
    • Quotes

      Lucian: I've lived by their rules my entire life. I've protected them. envied them. and for what? To be treated like an animal. We are not animals! Is this want you want? We can be slaves, or we can be... LYCANS!

    • Connections
      Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Star Trek/Rudo y Cursi/Next Day Air (2009)
    • Soundtracks
      Board Up the House (Renholder Remix)
      Written by William Jordan, Mookie Singleman, Michael Sochynsky

      Performed by Genghis Tron

      Courtesy of Relapse Records

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 23, 2009 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • New Zealand
      • Australia
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Inframundo 3 - La rebelión de los Lycans
    • Filming locations
      • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Screen Gems
      • Lakeshore Entertainment
      • Lakeshore Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $35,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $45,802,315
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $20,828,511
      • Jan 25, 2009
    • Gross worldwide
      • $92,158,961
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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