14/01/10

Underworld Film Review.

This review is of a film with Gothic themes throughout. Aspects that make this film Gothic are location, costume, weather, dialect, theme, atmosphere, soundtrack, storyline and even time of day in the majority of the film. Firstly, the majority of the film is shot in very underground dark locations, such as the castle with use of bricks, slime and darkness. This helps to create an atmosphere in the film and back up the Gothic themes running through the film, overall the film is very dark and secretive with an ultra Gothic storyline about the war between Werewolves and Vampires. This is a very Gothic storyline used in many Gothic films like Van Helsing and Dracula. I think Underworld however creates a modern version of Gothic with clever use of costume and soundtrack. By using a modern soundtrack and up-to-date costumes this film was given a believable modern twist to what could have been left as a conventional Gothic film. This makes the film appeal to younger audiences with use of weapons, sex and violence, it makes Gothic fashionable.

Throughout the film the weather is dark, rainy and sometimes stormy this creates a tension in the film which grows with the elevating feud between the vampires and werewolves. This clever use of pathetic fallacy adds to the atmosphere of the film and overall build up to the end. The dialect in the film is not entirely modern to keep the Gothic theme alive "your in the war which has been raging for the better part of a thousand years". The costume is very vintage in this film using Gothic extravagant dresses portraying a luxury Gothic lifestyle for the vampires in contrast to rags that the werewolves are wearing. The time of day in the majority of the film is night and in the dark, this was to enhance the Gothic theme also because vampires cannot come out in daylight.

Overall I greatly enjoyed the film, I thought it combined Gothic themes and locations to create a brilliant Gothic film with a modern twist.