A few nights ago The Boy and I were bored and wanting to watch something stupid in bed that it would be okay if we fell asleep during. So, we pulled out our copy of Underworld, the Crow/Matrix-copying vampire versus werewolf flick that is much more badass that Bella mooning over Edward. I mean, not that it’s a good movie. Kate Beckinsale looks hot and badass in that suit that prolly gave her a yeast infection for a year and it has Michael Sheen in it! Plus, Bill Nighy? Always a win. Sure Ben from Felicity is cast as doctor (once again) and I’m like, dude can barely speak full sentences, no way he’d do well in a medical school interview, but overall, nice cast.
Anyhow, the quality (of lack therefore of) is not the point of this at all. It’s that when watching it, it occurred to me that it’s an allegory for miscesgentation, particularly that between a lording class (Vampires or, say Southern plantation owners) and enslaved peoples (Werewolves or, you know, enslaved African-Americans). The war that continues to wreak havoc between the two immortal species, who share a common evolutionary ancestor, is because a werewolf loved and mated with a vampire. The vampire’s father thinks this is an abomination, a dirtying of their bloodline, a threat to their very species, so he kills his daughter. Obviously her lover is angered and rises up against his servitude and then shit hits the fan. Next thing you know, you have lots of leather capes and people with guns and their best “stern serious face” and slow-motion fighting scenes. What a world, what a world!!!!!
The film comes firmly down on the “race-mixing is okay!” and “but what about love?” side of things. I mean, there’s not only a new Vampire/Werewolf love, but a mixed baby of sorts. WHO HAPPENS TO BE BETTER AND STRONGER AND AWESOMER THAN THE TWO SPECIES!! Could this movie be anymore clear? I mean, yeah, it probably could since it’s kinda confusing and not that well written… I’m not sure whether the writers of this series intended to make this kinda of “we should all get along”/”world peace” statement via Vampires and Lycans, but there ya go.
Intentional or not, it’s better than me realizing the film is on the side of justifying genocide and master races… Cause then I would be forced to know that Michael Sheen was in a movie that was uncool and I’d have to stop crushing on him. Oh, wait…
