What better way to kick off today’s Women Who Wow Wednesday post than with a kick ass, female Death Dealer.
I like vampires. Well, I like vampire movies, not vampires per se. Otherwise that would make me weird. Then again, I do love zombies, so that makes me weird enough. But I like a good vampire movie. And I love werewolf movies too. Just not as much as zombie movies. So when Underworld came out a few years ago, I showered, shaved, and ran to the theater hoping to catch it opening night. How can a fan of both vampires and werewolves miss this gem?
That’s when I saw her for the first time. She stood perched on a building ledge, high above the torrential downpour, analyzing the street below. Looking. Wanting. Waiting. She leapt. Gliding a hundred feet to the bottom, she landed to a bounce. She struts her way through the crowd, hunting.
Played by the gorgeous Kate Beckinsale, Selene’s mission is to destroy Lycans, a species of werewolf that, unlike ordinary werewolves, can control their transformation. Selene is a vampire and can endure daylight. Old school vampires like the ones in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, burn in the daylight. Other vampires, dare I say it—sparkle. Shivers. Selene doesn’t have to worry about spontaneously combusting, leaving behind nothing except a big pile of ash. She has immunity to UV light. She can blend in like one of us. However, I’m not sure just how much she can blend in with all that leather she wears and her attractive features. It would be like a lion blending in with a flock of lambs.
Selene is also proficient in all manner of weaponry and possesses other abilities such as speed, strength and endurance. In one instance, a group of police officers had her cornered in a hallway with no escape, wearing their full compliment of armor. No problem. Equipped with only a scalpel, she blasted past the officers spilling their blood and leaving their corpses to rot. In another instance, she plows her hand right through a Lycan as if it were some sort of fruit.
In all this, what makes Selene special, though, is her gentle side. It’s the side only Michael, a human, sees.
As terrifying and vicious as she can be, Selene’s love for Michael makes her vulnerable to getting hurt. She trusts him. She gives of herself fully to him in order to allow their love to grow.
It’s that beautiful, delicate balance between good and evil, light and darkness, love and hate that makes Selene addictive. She represents the unattainable, defending her species at all cost.
Have you seen Underworld? Did you like it? What did you find the most interesting aspect of the film?
Looking to God 
Hi Jack, I loved the first Underworld and the gossip! The leading lady leaves the head werewolf for the director!!! The films have trailed-off in quality though, which is a pity because it is such a fan-friendly concept.
Did you know that prior to the release of the first film the production company landed a huge financial settlement on White Wolf, the creator’s of the Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf role-playing systems. They opened a lawsuit due to similarities (oops!)
That aside, I love the look of your blog so I’ll be following along. I think you might enjoy this book too (if you haven’t read it already) xx
Thanks, Lily! I have a few surprises coming in the next few months so keep checking back! 😉
Absolutely x You’re on my reader list now so I won’t miss anything x
Thanks very much!
Underworld should be the exact kind of movie I like … vampires, werewolves, leather, dual wielding guns, but the main story and characters weren’t strong enough for me to love it. It’s an okay movie. What I sort of liked was the mythology and back story on the werewolves. Btw, great post!
In person maybe not so much. Like meximo70 I liked the first Underworld, but the sequels left me lukewarm. I’ll check out almost any vampire, werewolf or zombie flick and give it a chance – I like to see what they’re doing to make the material *new*. If you like werewolves maybe you’ll like my werewolf story which also feature a strong woman, though she is not running around in black leather (that I know of). http://reliablyuncomfortable.com/2012/12/03/why-not-a-crime-fighting-feminist-werewolf-superhero/. I hope it’s ok to leave this link, if not please remove it and accept my apology – didn’t want to “blogwhore” all over your comments section, but figured horror fans usually like to find new sources of scares.
I am personally a little underwhelmed by the monster mashup method of movie making, where vampires square off against werewolves. It’s one mythological creature at a time for me.
I enjoyed Underworld, though not all of the sequels.
I think other than Emma Peal, she was the second woman to don the black leather suit of kick-a** edness.
was a great story line, built up a great mythos as well starting a cult following of “deathdealer” fans and “Lycan” fans. sort of a nerd version of “Team Jacob” and “Team Edward”.
(yes, i shivered a bit myself there)
at any rate, i don’t know if you’ve caught the latest of the Underworld series, but i think it’s one of the better ones. You’ll have to tell me what you think.
I have seen Underworld, and I really enjoyed it. It’s been a few years since I had the luxury of viewing the beautiful Kate Beckinsale, but reading this has motivated me to watch it again. My one criticism: the other Underworlds don’t always use Beckinsale, right?
Kate Beckinsale is in all of them except Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, which features actress Rhona Mitra.
Selene is definitely one of my favorite heroines, because of that combination of vulnerability and strength. I’m not a fan of vampires–I tend to favor killing them–but she is an exception.
Underworld is awesome, and Selene is nothing short of a Goddess. She makes the films what they are.
Underworld inspired me to write my Blood War novella trilogy coming out this year, containing werewolves, vampires, and hybrids locked in a 6 hundred year old war. Done before? Yeah, sure, but as Underworld proved, the concept never gets old, it can only get better.
I love Underworld but I have to say it ends at the 3rd one and the 4th one I’m scared to see because I have a feeling it might be garbage, but the original was pretty awesome mostly because I love Scott Speedman as well :). Selene is pretty cool kick ass character. However, Underworld is about vampires and werewolves so I’m sold 🙂
Thanks for liking my post! I look forward to reading more of your work 🙂
Reblogged this on Books, Booze & Beauty and commented:
Jack keeps giving me what I need in terms of kick ass females.
Thank you so much for the reblog, Lakeshia! I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for your support!
No need to be overwhelmed. LOL. I just like your weekly blogs. You’re a great writer. I hope one day my flow will be as good as yours. I write for a living (biz journalism) but I still need to find my creative writing style. Again, thanks for the great reads!!!
I’m with you Jack. I was flocking to the theater to see Underworld. I loved the entire story line. Its one of my favorite vamp movies. I love the sexual interaction between Selene and Michael. And you’re right, Kate Beckinsale kicks some serious butt. In a few of her movies she’s played strong female characters. I swear you give me what I need in terms of great blog content. Its never boring. You know I will be spreading the blogging love for you with this post. What can I say, I love fearless, strong and vibrant females. 🙂
Not seen ay Vampire movies but have been reading an excellent set just this week – The Elemental Mysteries set of 4 where each vampire has a power over one of – air, earth, water or fire.Really enjoyed book 1, but book 2 is not quite as inventive unfortunately – and I bought all 4 I was so enamoured of 1… Maybe you should try them?
Anyway, keep up your fascination and here’s hoping your novel comes out soon – have you a contract yet? If not, why not try self-publishing or e-publishing first? there seem to be lots of these companies around on WordPress.
Anyway, thanks for coming over to read my blog and liking it. More book review to come soon….
Haven’t seen it, but you make me wish to. The mental state I’m in right now, reading your post also makes me want to go out and have glamour shots taken in vampire attire. I’m 50, no need to be timid, right?! Actually, I think I WILL put that on my bucket list. 🙂
Seconding Mistylayne’s comment – there really isn’t much more to say 😉
I liked Underworld on a purely popcorn level. I mean, Kate Beckinsale in black leather? There is no wrong there…
Just catching up on your WWWW posts as I’m a new follower. Great list so far, but I sure hope you’re going to include Ana from Dawn of the Dead and Nadia from Pandorum.
Thanks for liking my post on the theoretical zombie apocalypse discussion I had with my daughter. 🙂
Thanks for popping in, MJ! Dawn of the Dead is one of my favorite movies and Ana’s one of my favorite characters. I haven’t forgotten…
Also, I enjoyed how your daughter wanted to get some food and you wanted to escape from there. Classic priority shuffle I go through with my kids all the time!
Here you go, MJ. Here’s Ana: http://jackflacco.com/2013/02/20/ana/
I certainly think you have a soft spot for The Beautiful Selene too.
Ha. Had to add the “lion and lambs” comment in after mentioning sparkling vamps, eh? *shaking my head*
Spousal Unit enjoyed Underworld, though I confess I couldn’t get into it. I’m more of a Pride and Prejudice fan myself. Or The Book of Eli. Or Robin Hood. I don’t know if I have an aversion to violent heroines (I don’t think so) or if it’s just that vampires tend to irritate me?
I enjoy your weekly cycle of posts. 🙂
I love The Book of Eli, it’s one of my favorite films of all time. And thank you for the weekly posts compliment…I’m having a lot of fun with them all!
I’m also a fan of all things Vampire & Werewolf…..love that they’re the “in” thing on TV and movies so they can keep it coming! Love Kate B’s kick ass character and after watching them always feel like strutting and kicking butt too (my strut needs work and I would probably hurt myself in my attempt to kick butt…oh well, that’s why we live vicariously thru movies).
I enjoy your “Women Who Wow Wednesday” and hope you never run out of inspirational ladies 😉
I personally wasn’t a big fan of the Underworld series of movies. The lycans seemed … hokey to me. They didn’t want to do CGI werewolves so they went with oddly shaped suits with me in them. Plus the age-old stereotype of werewolves fighting against vampires is played out yet again. Why wouldn’t they ever team up? (I’m working on that concept in my book “Advent Overkill”.)
Not to mention the werewolf/vampire crossbreed just wasn’t as cool as I had hoped. For someone that was supposed to be nearly unstoppable, he seemed pretty stop-able to me.
I have seen all of the underworld movies. I like them because they are different and I like the setting they are in. The vampires in them are awesome and each movie brings something different.