Product Description

In this sequel to the 2003 cult favorite, Beckinsale returns as werewolf-hunter Selene, a vampire now involved with a half-werewolf, half-vampire. They are both on the run, as they are the target of vampires, werewolves and humans.



Sony presents Underworld: Evolution on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1 framed transfer. I was worried when I noted some serious banding in the Lakeshore Entertainment logo at the beginning of the movie, but was pleased to discover that no such issues were present thereafter. Even in the dark conditions, the intricate detail on the armor worn by the characters at the beginning of the movie is extremely high, all without sacrificing black levels. Excellent black levels are crucial to this presentation, as it is perhaps the darkest film I've seen, with generally only a blue tint or completely lifeless earth tones about the picture in the midst of the blacks, and I am pleased to report that they are perfect, deep and inky, without a hint of grayness or artificial brightening. The make-up is first rate and it's distinctive style looks great on this disc. Marcus' in particular is stunning. A few shots of pale Vampire faces appear soft, but background detail is generally tight and excellent. From grimy white tiles in an abandoned warehouse where Selene and Michael go to escape the sunlight to the texture, stitching, zippers, and other parts of clothing, detail is remarkably high in both the foreground and in the background, and the image is sharp and clear with no signs of edge enhancement or other distractions. Film grain is present, but barely noticeable and definitely not a distraction. Although an early MPEG-2 release from Sony, Underworld: Evolution's video transfer hold up very well.


Underworld: Evolution takes a bite out of your home theater with an engaging PCM 5.1 uncompressed soundtrack. The bloody, opening confrontation between Vampires and Werewolves is a thing of sonic marvel. It truly sounds as good as any action movie soundtrack I've ever heard at the better multiplexes I've been to. Every speaker is full of awe-inspiring sound effects and music. The subwoofer kicks into overdrive for every breaking down of a door, scream and howl of a Lycan, clang of a sword, and footstep of a horse. Surround speakers carry as much activity as the fronts for a crisp, realistic, and frightening experience. Later, gunshots ring out with a powerful authority and accuracy. Even the deep voice of Marcus rattles the subwoofer a bit when we first hear him speak. Directionality is superb throughout the movie; a helicopter fly over in chapter four is natural and exciting. Its rotors pierce both the night sky and your home theater room as it travels from front to back, effortlessly. Dialogue is always audible and clear. Thunder sometimes rolls in the rear, and there is a nice sense of realism with some solid atmospherics throughout much of the film. There are a few moments where bass seems a bit muddled and undefined, but as a general rule, this track is spectacular.

Blu-ray Movie DVD Disc - Underworld: Evolution Features

Video
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: LPCM 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1

English: LPCM 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (less)

Subtitles

English SDH, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, mandarin

Package Content

Blu-ray Movie DVD Disc (25GB)- Underworld: Evolution x 1