Underworld: Rise of the Lycans 2009

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: Unlike Mr. Nighy, who puts an amusing camp spin on his every line and gesture, Mr. Sheen appears to have taken his monster duties seriously. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: Lycans, helmed by longtime creature-designer and first-time director Patrick Tatopoulos, just repeats the tale again at feature length. Read more

Joel Brown, Boston Globe: Director Patrick Tatopoulos was responsible for the creature effects in the two earlier installments, but he's not great at staging fights or directing actors. Read more

Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times: The third film in Screen Gems' grimly competent, vampires-versus-wolves franchise. Read more

Clark Collis, Entertainment Weekly: Sheen and Nighy do their best with the material, but this is easily the worst Underworld so far. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: It is not necessary to have seen the first two Underworld films to fully enjoy the third. It might be helpful, however, to first see a bartender. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: The film would all be a complete bore if it weren't for the odd sparks of wit, and the sparks set off by Sheen and B-picture queen Mitra. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The storyline essentially replicates that of Underworld and Underworld: Evolution, meaning that if you've seen one or both of them, there's no compelling reason to spend your hard earned dollars on the third. Read more

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is as unnecessary as it is uninvolving. Only fans desperate to learn how the whole vampire-werewolf conflict began are likely to get anything out of this viewing experience. Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: I'd provide more detail of plot and dialogue, but the visual palette was way too dark for me to take legible notes; and frankly, though I saw it at a midnight screening hours ago, the movie just wasn't that memorable. Read more

Hank Sartin, Time Out: Read more

Nigel Floyd, Time Out: The digital video images are blurry, the fight scenes messy, the editing jerky, and the derivative plot absurdly overwrought. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is surprisingly campy fun, mostly succeeding through the power of its lead performances. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: The performances are forceful enough to keep things interesting even when no one is sprouting fangs or drinking blood. Read more