For almost six years now, the Underworld series has been putting a novel but half-hearted spin on the monster movie. Filmmakers of this franchise have embroiled two sets of classic boogeymen -- vampires and werewolves -- in a centuries-old grudge match. Although these films have always thought a bit highly of themselves, they fall short of achieving epic status, mostly because the storytelling becomes lost amid nonstop gunplay and dicey CG effects. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans sets out to get to the bottom of this creature war, and while it's not a terrible movie, it's the least necessary addition to the franchise.

As you might gather from the title, Rise of the Lycans is a prequel, detailing the events leading to Kate Beckinsale strutting around in the most skintight outfits known to man. The film takes viewers back to medieval times, where second-generation werewolf Lucian (Michael Sheen) finds himself a slave to an aristocratic vampire coven. Though he pledges allegiance to blood-sucking overlord Viktor (Bill Nighy), Lucian is starting to feel a twinge of guilt at having slaughtered some of his own kind. On top of that, our indentured hero carries on a secret love affair with Sonja (Rhona Mitra), Viktor's feisty daughter. After an attempt to save Sonja's life lands him in particularly hot water, Lucian finally decides enough is enough. Rallying his fellow "lycans" behind him, Lucian ignites a revolt against the vampires, one that not even the sands of time will be able to quell.

While watching Rise of the Lycans, I couldn't help thinking it didn't feel like an Underworld movie. Take away the supernatural elements, and you're pretty much left with a low-rent Gladiator sequel, complete with musclebound actors who remain shirtless as often as possible. Having gone through two movies' worth of gunplay galore, I understand the filmmakers' desire for a change of pace. But it makes little difference in the end, for an unmistakable sense of laziness still hangs heavy over the project. With three movies in the can, it's obvious its creators think the world of their baby, but none of these films have done anything of note to deserve such devotion. They're a diverting bunch at best, good to kill a couple hours on a Friday night with your buddies. But chuck in some elements of melodrama, and the whole thing becomes a sluggish stew in a heartbeat.

Rise of the Lycans attempts to justify itself by providing the simplistic solution to a question no one was begging to have answered. The storytelling runs  completely on autopilot, sailing through a series of jittery action sequences while making sure to hit every cliched high note along the way. It's a step up from the incomprehensible Underworld: Evolution, but it still smacks with an extremely formulaic aftertaste. Whenever computer-generated beasties aren't doing battle with British actors encrusted in Goth make-up, cast members seem split in their shared duties. Nighy gives up the ghost right away, delivering a scenery-gnashing performance and actually emerging all the better for it. But while his tongue-in-cheek turn provides some relief, Sheen (currently seen as the first half of Frost/Nixon) takes his already humorless role as Lucian all too seriously. Mitra essentially shares the same chores as Beckinsale did (slay monsters and look great doing it), though she possesses not an ounce of the latter's charisma or attitude. The action scenes offer a little fun, but it's hard to get into them when you know computers are doing most of the work (and not very convincingly, at that).

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is the most stagnant member of the trilogy. It's short, moves fast, and doesn't look too bad, so these factors may lead some viewers to enjoy it. But if you give even a moment's thought to this prequel, its lack of importance should  ring out loud and clear. 

MY RATING: ** (out of ****)

(Released by Screen Gems and rated "R" for bloody violence and some sexuality.)