Phil reviews the UNDERWORLD TRILOGY: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION (2011) Blu-Ray from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment-January 28, 2012

With the release of UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING (which I saw twice already), the fourth installment of this popular franchise, I thought I would review the recently released UNDERWORLD TRILOGY: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION Blu-Ray boxset that collects all three UNDERWORLD films. Now Sony did release another boxset back in 2009, but what separates these two is the exclusive Underworld: Endless War Animated Short Films bonus disc found here.

With its combination of horror, action, and the ultra sexy Kate Beckinsale as the leather clad vampire Selene, the films became hugely popular among audiences everywhere. With the release of AWAKENING the series has grossed to date an astounding $383,528, 759 worldwide, which goes to show you that you can't keep a good vampire (or werewolf) down. So let's now take a closer look at this impressive boxset:

UNDERWORLD (2003): In the Underworld, Vampires are a secret clan of modern aristocratic sophisticates whose mortal enemies are the Lycans (werewolves), a shrewd gang of street thugs who prowl the city's underbelly. No one knows the origin of their bitter blood feud, but the balance of power between them turns even bloodier when a beautiful young Vampire named Selene (Beckinsale) warrior falls in love with a newly-turned Lycan named Michael (Scott Speedman).

The film is unrated and is presented in 1080p Hi-Def,  2.37:1 widescreen ratio. Superb clarity and crystal clear audio is deafening, especially if you have surround sound. Special features include Director and Cast commentary, outtakes, storyboard comparisons, Fang vs. Fiction documentary, music video for Finch "Worms of the Earth," and seven featurettes: Making of UNDERWORLD, Visual Effects of UNDERWORLD, creature effects, stunts, Designing UNDERWORLD, The Look of UNDERWORLD, and Sights & Sounds of UNDERWORLD.

UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION (2006): In this sequel to the 2003 cult favorite, Beckinsale returns as werewolf-hunter Selene, a vampire now involved with her half-werewolf, half-vampire Michael. They are both on the run, as they are the target of vampires, werewolves and humans. Soon it up to them from preventing the eldest vampire Marcus (Tony Curran) from releasing his werewolf twin brother and wrecking havoc on the human race.

Again presented in 1080p Hi-Def,  2.37:1 widescreen ratio, and 5.1 digital audio with English (Uncompressed) and French languages with English, French, Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish subtitles. Special features include director and filmmakers' commentary, music video by Atreyu, and six featurettes: Bloodlines: From Script To Screen: making of featurette, The Hybrid Theory: visual effects, Making Monsters Roar: creature effects, The War Rages On: stunts featurette, Building a Saga: production design, and Music and Mayhem: music and sound design.

UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS (2009): In this prequel to the series, the film explores the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighly), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his secret lover, Sonja (Rhona Mitra), in his battle against the Vampire army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.

The film is once again presented in 1080p Hi-Def, 2.40:1 widescreen format, audio includes English, French Spanish, and Portuguese languages, and English, English SDH, French Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles. The special features include Filmmaker Commentary, Cinechat, Behind the Castle Walls: Picture-in-Picture, Lycanthropes Around the World Interactive Map, Music Video by William Control "Deathclub," and three featurettes:  UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS: From Script to Screen, The Origin of the Feud, and Re-Creating the Dark Ages: The Look of UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS.

And as I stated earlier, this boxset includes a special bonus disc. Underworld: Endless War Animated Short Films continues the thrilling adventures of Selene, who is tracking down three exclusive Lycans, which she has been tracking down since the 1880s. This is a very interesting story and contains some fantastic anime action. Granted an animated Selene cannot replace the real life Beckinsale, but these short film expands not only the character, but also the UNDERWORLD universe, which is a great concept. This is a real treat for UNDERWORLD fans, who are really into the series and would like to see more of Selene and her other adventures.

The UNDERWORLD TRILOGY: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION is a must-own for fans of this series. And with the latest installment doing well at the boxoffice, it looks like we'll be seeing more of Selene and her friends for another trilogy set. In the meantime, pick this boxset up for yourself or for a friend. Five out of five stars!

The UNDERWORLD TRILOGY: THE ESSENTIAL COLLECTION is currently available at your local retailer and at the Amazon website. So click here to order your copy today.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!