Underworld analysis

We've already looked at Blade and What lies Beneath, but as Underworld has become our main inspiration, analysing a sequence of it will aid our piece.Particularly as it is the same genre, to the extent of also featuring a strong female lead.



(analysed the first seven minutes)

• Dusk/ night time, weather is stormy, its raining, and theres lightning and thunder. All these have connotations of something dark, mysterious and bad
• The voice over by the female lead shows her vulnerability as well as her power and hints at the plot by questioning the certainty of her future and mentioning war
• The dramatic jump from the large gothic building, shows her strength and power, and also a graceful almost cat-like quality to her, conventional characteristic of vampires
• She is wearing an all black costume, including the conventional long black leather coat
• Effects are used on the supernatural characters eyes, the different effects show us they are different, more animalistic, and also shows us the difference between them
• The Vampires are shown as fast moving and graceful with an almost feline quality, whereas the werewolves(or Lykens) are shown as more muscular, with slower, but dtronger seeming movements. They appear more dog like, which furthur represents the conflict between them and is also conventional
• The main character (Kate Beckinsale) has concealed weapons, as does her accomplise, whereas the attackers have larger, more intimidating weapons, clearly modified, these also tell us that we are dealing with supernatural characters and their war. The weapons also tell us that the vampires seem to have slightly more consideration for the public, as it is the Lykens that begin the conflict. This further emphasises the slightly more human traits of the vampires in comparison to the werewolves more animalistic and instinctual approach
• The Vampires also stand out to the audience due to their conventionally pale skin and dark hair, the contrast of which makes her complexion more obvious and striking. The vampires also have a tendency to have more slender figures.
• The werewolves stand out due to the convention of them being tall and of a muscular build- a reflectin of characteristics they have in their wolf form.
• Like in Blade, flickering lighting is used, when the shots are outside this is due to weather, and at first helps and mystery by leaving her appearance less known.
• The shots are dark and shadowed, leaving parts of buildings in darkness, it also reflects the lives of many of the characters, who have spent centuries living their lives in the shadows so as not to be hunted themselves
  
• Throughout all the shots the main colours seen are dark, for the most part blacks, blues and greys, this reflects the darker side of the characters and the deaths etc that are included within a supernatural plot
• An element of voyeurism is brought in, as the first shots show the two vampires watching the streets, searching for their enemies and tracking their movements. The shot also encourages the audience to side with these characters, even though they are also supernatural, and shows the vampires as superior, as we see them looking down on the werewolves and humans
• The animalistic tendencies of the supernatural, , in their heightened senses(another common convention) the most obvious example of this being when the lead female signals to her accomplise across a great distance.
• The sound begins as just the voiceover and weather, but as the tension of the scene builds and we begin to anticipate a chase, and even sooner her jump, music builds up to reflect the tension. After her landing its pace and volume indicates they are following, getting closer- and perhaps even being hunted themselves
• Even as characters enter a subway, which is reasonably well lit, the colours remain dark to continue with the connotations of the genre
• During the fight, to return to the mystery and excitement, the lights in the subway diminishes as lights begin to flicker, and some go out completely
• The shot of the female lead shooting two guns and advancin rapidly and confidently shows her power and courage, it also makes the audience look up to her in awe, the camera looks up to her
• She remains graceful throughout the fight, emphasised with shots of her slowed down, or showing the movement of her coat, and she also demonstrates aility and speed- particularly in the chase through the carriage, whereas the werewolf pushes throuh roughly and with loud, thudding footsteps and slower movements- again showing the werewolves as more animalistic