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Underworld

Underworld

An immortal battle for supremacy.

2003121 minRMidcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Director
Len Wiseman
Starring
Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Michael Sheen, Shane Brolly

Vampires and werewolves have waged a nocturnal war against each other for centuries. But all bets are off when a female vampire warrior named Selene, who's famous for her strength and werewolf-hunting prowess, becomes smitten with a peace-loving male werewolf, Michael, who wants to end the war.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Underworld?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Underworld streaming on STARZ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Underworld?

Underworld earns 9 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Underworld worth watching?

Underworld's Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all films, from 488K ratings across 6 sources. 72% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of films

87th percentile among Action75th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)70th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

67 /100

70th percentile of all films

84th percentile among Action69th percentile among 2000s

Critics 42 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

72% liked it

81st percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action79th percentile among 2000s
72% rated it 7–1028% rated it 1–6

Critics 31% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 10 noms overall

98th percentile

487K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Action96th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 13% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$22M
Opening weekend$22M
Domestic gross$52M
Worldwide gross$96M

Returned 4.4× its budget — 84th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Underworld is a stylish, dark action movie that pits vampires against werewolves in a centuries-old war, borrowing heavily from The Matrix and Blade.

Fans praised

  • gothic style, blue-tinted atmosphere and lavish production design
  • Kate Beckinsale's iconic leather-clad performance as a badass action heroine
  • surprisingly layered world-building with a fresh scientific take on vampire-werewolf mythology

Detractors panned

  • derivative Matrix-Blade rip-off with no original ideas
  • laughably serious tone with no humor or self-awareness
  • hollow characters and a convoluted plot that never explains its own rules

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive75

gothic, rain-soaked world-building; deeply immersive night-world

CinematographyDivisive70

stylish gothic blue-black palette; polished but derivative visual language

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

practical werewolf suits praised; CGI dated; inventive bullet concepts

ActingDivisive60

Beckinsale compelling as lead; Sheen and Nighy praised; Brolly widely panned as weak link

Plot and storyDivisive55

twist-laden story with rich backstory praised by fans; detractors call it convoluted and nonsensical

EndingDivisive50

cliffhanger sets up sequel; final fight anticlimactic to some

CharactersDivisive45

Selene iconic but shallow; supporting characters underdeveloped; Kraven universally disliked

Originality35

derivative of Matrix and Blade; fresh take on vampire-werewolf lore

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 7 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Underworld like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Melodramatic · 9% of films: Heightened emotion, played large.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.
ToneThe film plays its gothic horror-action premise completely straight, with no irony or self-awareness, treating the war between vampires and Lycans with operatic seriousness.
The rideThe film maintains a consistently high level of tension and dread from its action sequences to its gothic atmosphere, with brief moments of melancholic reflection.
StructureThe story is told in a mostly linear order with an opening flashback to Selene's childhood tragedy, establishing her motivation. The main narrative proceeds chronologically as she investigates the Lycan plot.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you questioning the moral absolutes of the war and the true nature of the villains, while the gothic atmosphere lingers like a chill.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

Why this archetypeSelene uncovers a conspiracy within her own coven that has allowed the Lycan uprising to persist, and must confront the elder Viktor who is revealed as the architect of her personal tragedy. The film follows her investigation and violent reckoning with this corruption.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRevengeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Revenge · 4% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of filmsFreedom · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeSelene's quest for vengeance against the Lycans is rooted in the murder of her family, while Lucian's rebellion is a fight for freedom from vampire slavery; both arcs are shaped by betrayal.
StanceThe film questions the value of revenge and the cyclical nature of violence, neither fully celebrating nor condemning Selene's quest, while showing that both clans' histories are stained by betrayal and abuse.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernElectronicSupportive music · original score · Paul Haslinger
SettingA modern-day Eastern European city where rival vampire and Lycan clans operate in secret, with vampire covens in ornate mansions and Lycan dens in subterranean tunnels.
MusicThe score blends gothic orchestral textures with industrial electronic elements to support the dark, action-oriented tone.

Content guide

Is Underworld okay for kids?

R

Underworld is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence/gore and some language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (89/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at moderate (45/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (31/100) and frightening material at severe (85/100). Overall it is heavier than 64% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 22 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada14A
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea18
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK-16
  • Greece18
  • Hungary16
  • MexicoB-15
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia16+
  • Spain18
  • Sweden15
  • Switzerland18
  • UAR
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 78% of all filmsHeavier than 64% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 81%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 21%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 17%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 21%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 87%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Underworld have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Underworld?

Cast

Kate Beckinsale
as Selene
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Scott Speedman
as Michael
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael Sheen
as Lucian
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Shane Brolly
as Kraven
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bill Nighy
as Viktor
Erwin Leder
as Singe
Sophia Myles
as Erika
Robbie Gee
as Kahn
Wentworth Miller
as Dr. Adam
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Kevin Grevioux
as Raze

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Underworld?

Movies like Underworld include Underworld: Evolution (2006), Underworld: Blood Wars (2016) and Van Helsing (2004). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written or directed by Len Wiseman, and most are stories about vampires.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Underworld?

1.6K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: vigilante. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.