Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- visceral
- foreboding
- horror movie night
- action marathon
What critics said
Critics found the prequel a competent but unnecessary and familiar supernatural action film, with Michael Sheen's performance receiving the strongest praise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Viktor rules as a vampire king while treating the Lycans as enslaved subjects.
Lucian and Sonja are secret lovers despite Lucian's enslaved status and Sonja's position as Viktor's daughter.
Castle interiors, vampire armies, werewolf transformations, and large-scale combat create a consistently gothic action aesthetic.
Lucian develops from a young Lycan into a leader who rallies his people against vampire rule.
Films like Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, and why
Underworld
Shares gothic fantasy world-building, vampire mythology, werewolf combat, and stylized supernatural action.
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Combines aristocratic vampire politics, forbidden romance, historical fantasy, and creature warfare.
Van Helsing
Features enslaved supernatural beings, a revolutionary leader, and brutal gothic action in a historical setting.
300
Shares rebellion, slavery, forbidden love, and epic battle spectacle in a heightened fantasy setting.
Movie Details
- Director
- Patrick Tatopoulos
- Release Date
- 2009-01-22
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (4069)
Cast
- Rhona Mitra
- Bill Nighy
- Michael Sheen
- Shane Brolly
- Steven Mackintosh
- Kevin Grevioux
- David Aston
- Geraldine Brophy
- Leighton Cardno
- Elizabeth Hawthorne
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, YouTube TV, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Underworld: Rise of the Lycans about?
- A young werewolf leader wages a desperate rebellion against the vampire king who enslaved his people while protecting a forbidden love.
- What is Underworld: Rise of the Lycans like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Underworld: Rise of the Lycans violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans as graphic.
- What did critics think of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?
- Critics found the prequel a competent but unnecessary and familiar supernatural action film, with Michael Sheen's performance receiving the strongest praise.
- Which films are like Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?
- Films with a similar feel include Underworld, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Van Helsing, and 300.
- How long is Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?
- Underworld: Rise of the Lycans runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Underworld: Rise of the Lycans?
- In United States, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans streams on Philo, YouTube TV, Starz Amazon Channel, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel.
