Ultraviolet - Style over substance

‘Ultraviolet’ is an odd film to describe.  Many would probably just say ‘rubbish,’ but I think that’s a little harsh (just a little, though).  I read that the studio didn’t like the final cut and re-edited it from two hours to less than ninety minutes.  This – apparently – made it more ‘action orientated,’ taking out the emotion and storytelling aspects of the tale.  The tale.  It’s set in the future during a war between humans and vampires (although they’re called ‘hemo-phages’ or something).

Mila Jovovich plays the titular character who’s a vampire (I’m just going to call them vampires from now on), intent on stopping the ‘evil’ humans from wiping her kind out.  However, when she’s ordered to kill a child, crucial to the wicked humans’ plans, she refuses and turns on... well, pretty much everyone.

It’s never really explained how Violet gets her – borderline superhuman – powers.  She seems to find it pretty easy to wipe out huge armies of armed soldiers without breaking sweat.  She just does.  It’s things like this, not to mention a few blatantly humorous lines, that make me wonder whether this film was supposed to be a bit ‘tongue-in-cheek.’ However, there’s not enough humour in it to really show that it’s supposed to not be taken seriously.  For the most part it’s played straight, forcing you to suspend your disbelief more than you ever have in order to believe what’s happening before your eyes.

But it’s not all bad.  Despite the new Playstation 2 special effects (seriously... some of the backdrops look like they’re straight out of a computer game’s ‘cut scenes’), the sets are actually quite well-designed and colourful.  It certainly does have its own ‘look’ and is quite atmospheric when it’s at its best.

I wonder whether Ultraviolet was supposed to be the start of some sort of franchise that never took off – something like the Resident Evil or Underworld series.  Basically, it could have been at least fun, if it knew what it was.  But the plot is just ‘tell not show.’ The characters say things that are blatantly there to just let us – the audience – know what’s happening.  The fight scenes are cool and Milla is possibly even sexier than ever.  So, if all you’re looking for is hot girls killing hordes of bad-guys then you’ll find what you’re looking for here.  Anything deeper and you’ll be left wanting more.  Much, much more.

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights