Horror Movie Reviews
More Details...Price: $29.99 |
Title: Ultraviolet (2001) |
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Review of Ultraviolet
- In a new twist on an old theme, the coolly stylish British miniseries Ultraviolet brings vampires into the 21st century, though the word vampire is never uttered in this mix of The X-Files and somber British TV mysteries like Touching Evil. Jack Davenport is a police detective who stumbles into an elite government agency when his partner and best friend suddenly becomes a nocturnal thug and bites him on the neck. Davenport reluctantly cuts off his old friends and lovers to join the team, which includes Idris Elba as a merciless ex-soldier and Susannah Harker as a medical researcher, and investigate a web of counterfeiting operations, banking scams, and experimental labs featuring human guinea pigs. "What they're researching is pollution: contamination of their blood supply," offers team leader and former priest Philip Quast, but the question remains: are they soulless monsters out to conquer mankind, or a persecuted minority who just want to live in peace with the humans?
Writer-director-creator Joe Ahearne brings all the traditional vampire tropes up to date; not only do they lack reflections in a mirror, but they don't show up on video and their voices don't carry over phone lines or record on audio tapes ("which makes surveillance a bitch"). Sunlight burns like an acid, and when they die they go up like a flare, leaving a pile of ash in their wake. But it's the sharp character writing, moral quandaries, and ingenious twists of this smart, stylish conspiracy thriller that make this series gripping down to the final episode.
The two-disc DVD set features an audio interview with Ahearne along with episode synopses and character notes. --Sean Axmaker
Amazon.com
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Comments for Ultraviolet
- Posted on 2007-10-11
A Smart Take on an Age Old War
A former friend of mine who is British turned me on to this as soon as it became available in a Region 1 version and I was hooked immediately. From the underlying sexual tension between our mysterious former army soldier (Idris Elba) who still walks the walk and Angela (Susannah Harker), the doctor with the heart as hard as her scalpel, and finding the reasons why everyone plays their part in this smart, updated (though slightly dated, now) techno-battle with the Vampiric race is a fascinating race through the streets and lives of modern-day London. It's all up in the air, too, isn't it? I mean, the Vamps are working on something that would mean peace with Humans forevermore. Would we - could we - allow that? I was desperately disappointed it was only a mini-series and didn't have a follow-up, but it goes out on a powerful enough note as it is to carry it. Just greedy enough to want more from this wonderful cast and some really superior writing with intricate, advanced ideas on an age-old... myth. Worth the investment. Had it in VHS and upgraded to DVD to keep it current.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2007-07-30
LOVED IT
I wish this show was still in production. Well made, visually stunning and a enjoyable story lines.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2007-04-10
Mistery
I like to watch Jack Davenport, so this performance of his is very good, his character gets you into the story, I loved his confidence. The theme is original very diferent from what I've seen about vampires, I really loved it because not everything is about blood and the mistery of the plot keeps you in suspense. Very good to spend some time watching it. I would love if there would had been more episodes.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2007-04-03
Handsome Man and Vampires
I bought this because I adore Jack Davenport. The series is interestingly done and creative and the cast is very good. The story follows a mysterious squad of modern vampire hunters in London. We learn all of their reasons for joining the squad and it is fun to see who will win in this good vs evil battle.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2007-02-09
Don't sleep on this one!
When I first saw this a few years back, I only caught three of the episodes and they weren't in order. I enjoyed the concept and episodes back then. Seeing all of them in their intended order was a treat. The concept and execution of this series was brilliant. It does away with the classical idea of vampires, and successfully makes it fresh and relevant.
This series was clever. Possibly too clever for its own good. Despite wanting to see more, I think anything over the six produced episodes would have ruined the series.
Score: 5