Casey Chong looks at Kate Beckinsale action movie roles…
Kate Beckinsale is no stranger to action movies, even though her earlier acting career was mostly confined to period/historical films and romantic comedies. But it wasn’t until then-unknown Len Wiseman enlisted her to play the leather-clad vampire assassin in Underworld in 2003. Even though she continues to explore different genres since then, Beckinsale remains synonymous with her action work. Now, with the upcoming Beckinsale-starred spy action thriller Canary Black from Pierre Morel of Taken fame arriving on Prime Video this month, we rank her action movies from worst to best…
Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)
A half-hearted storyline and expository dialogues continue to dominate in the erratic Underworld franchise but Underworld: Blood Wars – that would be the fifth installment in case you are losing count – fares the worst in this list. Then-43-year-old Kate Beckinsale’s Selene is still looking good in her skintight PVC leather catsuit and even sports white highlights in her hair this time around. The story also tries to revamp (pun intended) her character with new abilities, namely teleportation but overall, Underworld: Blood Wars remains a disappointment in many areas.
First-time feature director Anna Foerster, who cut her teeth directing TV series such as Criminal Minds and Outlander, marks the first time a female filmmaker called the shots for the Underworld franchise. And yet, she chooses to play safe by sticking to the formula with only a few tweaks, namely the aforementioned changes on the Selene character. Her penchant for filming most of the action scenes in tight close-ups often ruins the excitement, even though you still get to see some of the franchise’s signature slo-mo gunfights and hand-to-hand combats. It doesn’t help either when Karl Walter Lindenlaub’s murky nighttime cinematography makes the movie’s blue-gray visual aesthetics, which has been a go-to filter since 2003 original difficult to see in some scenes.
Underworld: Awakening (2012)
It’s more of the same in Underworld: Awakening but at least, it was a step up over the tepid prequel of Kate Beckinsale-less Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. It’s nice to see the actress herself back in action since Underworld: Evolution and likewise, she doesn’t disappoint here. Franchise newcomers Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein retain the formula while keeping the story as straightforward as possible.
The movie gets off to a well-paced, promising start with some of the best action set pieces ever seen in the Underworld franchise. From the opening run-and-fight against the law enforcers to the spectacular street chase between the three hybrid Lycans and the van, it looks as if Underworld: Awakening is on the right track, only to gradually lose steam once it reaches the halfway mark. The movie particularly sags in the middle while suffering from heavy-handed expositions. Having seen the 3D version, it doesn’t add much to the experience other than a mere gimmick since most of the movie takes place in a dark and gloomy setting.
Jolt (2021)
Jolt marks Kate Beckinsale’s long-awaited return to the action role that made her a household name and it was her first in five years since Underworld: Blood Wars. She may have been hitting 47 years old at the time but Beckinsale hasn’t slowed down a bit when comes to fulfilling a physically demanding performance. Her role as Lindy Lewis, who has a rage-fuelled intermittent explosive disorder, gives Beckinsale a perfect excuse to strut her stuff including kicking butts and throwing punches.
While she pulls off an above-average performance here, it’s a pity that the story can’t keep up with her momentum as Scott Wascha’s screenplay takes too long to get to the point. Tanya Wexler’s direction, in the meantime, is adequate and overall, if it wasn’t for Kate Beckinsale’s involvement, Jolt would be a total bust.
Total Recall (2012)
How do you top a sci-fi action classic like Total Recall? That Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 blockbuster was renowned for the director’s trademark no-holds-barred violence, social satire and cynical point of view. The movie has Arnold Schwarzenegger playing one of his best and most entertaining roles during the actor’s heyday. It was a one-of-its-kind cinematic experience that didn’t succumb to Hollywood big-budget studio-movie formula (read: play safe) at the time.
By contrast, the ill-fated 2012 remake sees Len Wiseman going for the conventional route of a sci-fi action movie like it was straight out of the assembly line. He also botched the cast from Colin Farrell’s banal everyman hero to Bryan Cranston’s underwritten antagonist role. But his then-wife Kate Beckinsale is at least one of this remake’s lifesavers. She plays Sharon Stone’s Lori character and the fetching Beckinsale made that role her own, mixing sneaky femme fatale persona with a no-nonsense, ass-kicking undercover agent masquerading as Douglas Quaid’s (Farrell) wife.
Van Helsing (2004)
Van Helsing could have been a potential franchise starter, given its interesting mash-up of classic monster movie and campy horror/action-adventure hybrid, where the latter has become the hallmark for Stephen Sommers, who brought us the first two Mummy at the time. But despite featuring iconic classic monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, The Wolf Man and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), the movie suffers from excess in terms of expository-heavy storytelling and cartoonish-looking CGI.
Still, the movie has its moments with Hugh Jackman playing a charismatic Victorian-era superhero-like titular monster hunter while the pulpy action/horror fest features a few entertaining set pieces. Van Helsing also brings in the great Alan Silvestri, whose rousing Spanish guitar-tinged score helps enliven the movie. Then, there’s Kate Beckinsale, who may play the role of a princess but she’s no damsel-in-distress. Rather, a feisty supporting turn who shares great chemistry with Jackman’s Van Helsing and is capable of defending herself with her athletic prowess and weaponry skill.
Underworld: Evolution (2006)
A worthwhile sequel to 2003’s Underworld, Len Wiseman’s second go-round continues the Romeo and Juliet-style romance between Kate Beckinsale’s Selene and Scott Speedman’s Michael, even though the love story is the least successful here. Underworld: Evolution works best when Wiseman delves into the action and lore surrounding the age-old rivalry between the vampires and Lycans. The action scenes from the gunfights to hand-to-hand combats are particularly top-notch, which can be seen during the first half of the movie and the climactic finale.
The CGI-heavy moments, notably the werewolf transformations remain adequate for a mid-budget movie that cost $45 million. At the heart of the sequel is Kate Beckinsale, who displays excellent athleticism in her physically demanding role as Selene while looking good as always in the skintight suit.
Underworld (2003)
Here is the movie that started it all as Len Wiseman, making his feature-length directorial debut, combines elements of vampires and werewolves into this contemporary genre hybrid of action and horror. Underworld isn’t based on any existing IP but rather an original screenplay based on a story by Wiseman himself alongside Danny McBride (no, not that Danny McBride) and Kevin Grevioux as they imagined a world dominated by the generations-old secret war between the vampires and Lycans.
The movie, of course, wouldn’t have worked without the magnetic presence of Kate Beckinsale, who revitalizes her career by playing a rare action-oriented role at the time. She convinces as a top vampire assassin Selene, who specializes in killing Lycans. Armed with two modified Berettas loaded with silver bullets, the action scenes are reminiscent of a sleek John Woo-style, complete with slow-motion camerawork and a dash of Matrix-like choreography. Her acting isn’t much other than looking good whenever she broods or in the middle of the action while Wiseman’s attempt to incorporate a Romeo and Juliet romance between Selene and Michael (Scott Speedman) but their love story falters in comparison with the stylish action and the mythology surrounding the vampires and Lycans.
How do you rank Kate Beckinsale’s action films? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong