Overview of Underworld: Blood Wars LIVE! (Classic)
In this live Boston recording of How Did This Get Made?, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas break down Underworld: Blood Wars—the dark, hyper-stylized vampire-versus-lycan sequel that none of them fully understood, but all of them had plenty to say about. The conversation centers on the movie’s confusing lore, near-invisible visuals, endless exposition, and the enduring appeal of Kate Beckinsale as Selene, who the hosts agree is basically the only reason the franchise works.
What the Episode Covers
The movie’s world and mythology
- The hosts try to piece together the Underworld universe:
- Vampires vs. Lycans (werewolves)
- Hybrid bloodlines
- Selene’s daughter, Eve
- The “sacred” or spirit world
- Why Selene can walk in sunlight
- Audience members step in repeatedly to explain earlier films and clarify the mythology, which only makes the plot feel more labyrinthine.
Visual style and tone
- Everyone agrees the movie is extremely dark—literally and aesthetically.
- The hosts joke that it looks like it was shot through a blue Instagram filter or with the brightness turned way down.
- June says she liked the “feel” and style of the movie, even while admitting the visuals were so dim they were almost impossible to follow.
Action, weapons, and vampire absurdity
- The hosts highlight the movie’s wild mix of swords, guns, UV bullets, and blood magic.
- A few standout action beats get special attention:
- Bullets being flexed out of bodies
- A brutal spine-rip moment
- Selene grabbing guns off walls in the final battle
- They keep returning to the logic of vampire and lycan anatomy, especially the question of how blood works for creatures that are already undead.
Plot confusion and franchise baggage
- Paul and Jason have not seen the earlier films, while June did extra homework and watched multiple installments.
- The episode repeatedly circles back to:
- Why the daughter matters
- Why the villain wants hybrid blood
- Why the franchise seems to have dropped and replaced characters over time
- Several audience members help explain the backstory, especially the hybrid lineage and Selene’s relation to Michael and Eve.
Main Takeaways
-
Kate Beckinsale is the franchise’s anchor.
The hosts agree she’s ideal for the role: cool, physical, and fully committed to the absurdity. -
The movie is mostly vibes, not clarity.
The plot is hard to follow, but the style, cast, and action keep it watchable enough. -
The franchise has surprisingly deep lore.
What seems like a simple vampire-war movie turns out to have multiple generations, hybrid rules, and a lot of backstory. -
The audience made the show.
Live viewers repeatedly jumped in to explain the mythology, answer questions, and fuel the comedy. -
Everyone enjoyed discussing it more than watching it.
The hosts repeatedly imply that Blood Wars is more fun to dissect than to experience straight through.
Notable Running Jokes and Bits
- “Vampires suck” / “I’m pro-lycan”
- Blood as a drink, medicine, memory trigger, and plot device
- The idea of drinking blood from boots or giant goblets
- Comparison of vampire politics to The Phantom Menace
- Constant references to how dark the movie is
- Confusion over whether they’re in the “underworld” or just a hidden society living among ordinary humans
- Jokes about Game of Thrones actors appearing everywhere
Final Verdict from the Hosts
- Jason: Probably not a recommendation, though he admits it has some fun action nonsense.
- June: More positive than expected; she liked the style, the cast, and the overall energy.
- Paul: Appreciates the franchise’s cast, especially Selene/Kate Beckinsale, but remains deeply confused about the lore.
Overall, the episode is a classic HDTGM live show: a movie teardown that becomes a bigger comedy about confusion, fandom, audience participation, and the strange pleasure of watching a very serious movie that barely explains itself.