Blade meets The Crow and The Matrix in Underworld; a hybrid thriller that rewrites the rulebook on werewolves and vampires. It's a "cuisinart" movie (blend a lot of familiar ideas and hope something interesting happens) in which immortal vampire "death dealers" wage an ancient war against "Lycans" (werewolves); who've got centuries of revenge--and some rather ambitious genetic experiments--on their lycanthropic agenda. Given his preoccupation with gloomy architecture (mostly filmed in Budapest; Hungary); frenetic mayhem and gothic costuming; it's no surprise that first-time director Len Wiseman gained experience in TV commercials and the art departments of Godzilla; Men in Black; and Independence Day. His work is all surface; no substance; filled with derivative; grand-scale action as conflicted vampire Selene (Kate Beckinsale; who later became engaged to Wiseman) struggles to rescue an ill-fated human (Scott Speedman) from Lycan transformation. It's great looking all the way; and a guaranteed treat for horror buffs; who will eagerly dissect its many strengths and weaknesses. --Jeff Shannon