Underworld: 5 Movie Collection - 4K Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Underworld: 5 Movie Collection



Movie:
4K Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:


WARNING: THE SCORES ABOVE ARE A COMBINED SCORE FROM ALL FIVE FILMS, THE INDIVIDUAL SCORES ARE CONTAINED BELOW IN THE INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF THE REVIEW

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Movie
It’s been years coming, but it’s finally here. Back in 2016 when Underworld: Blood Wars was being released we got a single 4K UHD upgrade of Underworld, but Sony declined to release the rest of the set onto Blu-ray (kind of like how we got 1-2 4K discs of the Resident Evil seriesi when the final film hit 4K and Blu-ray, but took years for them to release the full boxset). As such, we’ve had to struggle along with the aging Blu-rays of the 2nd and 3rd film, and hope for the best. Well, this last week is that time as Sony FINALLY released the full series boxset with some tweaks to a few of the film’s extras, and a fancy new case.

For those of you who notice the similarities, this boxset is a LOT like the Resident Evil 4K UHD boxset. It uses the same “top slides off” outer chipboard box, but instead of fold over cardboard cases like the Resident Evil series, we get 5 individual black 4K UHD Viva Elite cases, and each film has it’s own slip cover (although that title banner on the right hand side of each cover is a bit gaudy if you ask me). Delving inside I forgot how fun and goofy these gory action movies were, but it looks like Sony did an absolute bang up job, as each film looks and sounds AMAZING in 4K UHD and Dolby Atmos, and there’s even some new extras to dig into.

For individual reviews of each film and their tech specs, you can click on each of the links below to take you to each one.

Underworld
Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Underworld: Awakening
Underworld: Blood Wars




Rated G and PG by the MPAA




Video:

For a break down of the individual film's video scores and in depth analysis, you can just click on the links below to open up the individual 4K film reviews

Underworld
Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Underworld: Awakening
Underworld: Blood Wars





Audio:

For a breakdown of each film's review score in the audio department, as well as in depth analysis you can click at links below for each individual film's review

Underworld
Underworld: Evolution
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Underworld: Awakening
Underworld: Blood Wars








Extras:

Underworld
4K UHD
• Theatrical and Extended Cuts of the Film
• Alternate Flashbacks (4K HDR)
• Theatrical Trailer

Blu-ray
• Audio commentary with director Len Wiseman, Kate Beckinsale, and Scott Speedman
• Outtakes
• Fang vs. Fiction
• Storyboard Comparison
• Music video: Finch: "Worms of the Earth"
• Featurettes
- Making of Underworld
- Visual Effects of Underworld
- Creature Effects
- Stunts
- Designing Underworld
- The Look of Underworld
- Sights & Sounds

Underworld: Evolution
4K UHD
• Trailer

Blu-ray
• Audio Commentary with Director Len Wiseman and Producer Patrick Tatopoulos and Second Unit Director Brad Martin.
• The Hybrid TheorY
• The War Rages On
• Bloodlines: From Script to Screen
• Making Monsters Roar
• Building a Saga
• Music and Mayhem
• Music Video: "Her Portrait in Black" by Atreyu

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
4K UHD
• Trailer
• Rise of the Lycans: Inside the Castle Walls

Blu-ray
• Behind the Castle Walls: Picture-in-Picture Experience
• Filmmaker Commentary
• 3 Featurettes
• Music Video: "Deathclub (Wes Borland / Renholder Remix)" by William Control feat. Matt Skiba
• And More

Underworld: Awakening
4K UHD
• Trailer
• Underworld: Endless War 3-Part Animated Series

Blu-ray
• Cracking the Underworld: Picture-in-Picture Experience
• Filmmakers' Commentary
• 5 Featurettes
• Blooper Reel
• Previews

Underworld: Blood Wars
4K UHD
• Trailers
• Franchise Recap

Blu-ray
• Underworld: Blood Wars – The Official Movie Graphic Novel
• The Evolution of Selene
• Building a Blood War
• Old & New Blood
• The Evil Evolved

Final Score: ​

Each film has some new extras on the 4K disc that wasn’t present on the Blu-ray (or the previous 4K releases), but those are fairly minor. Nice additions, but not going to shock and awe viewers. The really nice addition is FINALLY having the Extended cut of Underworld available in 4K UHD on the 4K disc of the film. Before it was “Theatrical on 4K, Extended on Blu-ray). It looks like Sony didn’t just clone the 2016 4K UHD release of Underworld, but re-did it to include the extended cut via seamless branching (although the Blu-ray isn’t remastered to include the theatrical cut. It’s just the extended cut disc we’ve had for over a decade. Not the end of the world, but a minor hope of mine dashed).

All in all, this is a very nice set that has some SERIOUS upgrades in video quality, along with the nice addition of Atmos tracks for each o the film. The new chipboard boxset housing is really nice, and I REALLY appreciate Sony putting each film in it’s own individual case instead of cardboard sleeves or flip cases. It makes it feels just that much more premium, and really has me giving this goofy pile of 2000s action movies a thumbs up.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Bill Nighy, Michael Sheen, Theo James, Charles Dance
Directed by: Various
Written by: Various
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1, 1.37:1, 2.20:1 AVC
Audio: Doby Atmos (various others, look in individual reviews for each film's extra audio tracks)
Subtitles: Various, check each review for each film's extra subtitle tracks
Studio: Sony
Rated: R
Runtime: 121 Minutes (134 Minutes Extended) / 106 Minutes / 92 Minutes / 89 Minutes / 91 Minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: October 26th, 2021

Recommendation: Good Set​

 

[Sonnie]

Really like this series. I have 3 of the 5, of which 2 are in 4K. Might be time to have a re-watch.

 

[JStewart]

Arrived and looking forward to it!

On a different note, did Selene take another job?