Revisiting a Movie Review - Ultra-interesting

In March of last year (2006) I saw the movie "Ultraviolet" in the theatre with a friend and was severely disappointed. Though this type of film (action, futuristic) is usually the genre I adore, Ultraviolet left me unsatisfied and vehemently disgusted.Though the film was not what I had expected, I did appreciate the cool world and artistic and graphic details...so I recently purchased the movie after finding it on sale. (I know, I know, feeding the habit.) However, after once again viewing the movie late last night I really had a major change of opinion about the plot and devices this film uses. I must say, I enjoyed watching it quite a bit more than the original viewing.

Below is the review I wrote way back when MSN Spaces were all the rage.
Today I wish to add my thoughts after viewing the film at home. Look for the bolded text to find my up-to-date review and thoughts.

Ultraviolet = Ultravomit

My Re-review of the movie Ultraviolet:

Although this movie may have seemed like a good idea, in actuality, some good ideas need way more time and thought put into them to create a film worthy of viewing. I usually enjoy all types of movies, for all types of reasons; there is rarely a film I do not appreciate. Ultraviolet, however, is in this rare category and falls well below even my lax bar of standards for enjoyment.

It seems we are thrust into the story much in the middle and with a quick voice-over by Violet, the soft-hearted killer of a protagonist, we are supposed to be brought up to speed. Um, sure. In about 20 seconds while the opening scenes unfold we are meant to understand the history, pre-history and present of the strange "world" Violet lives in. She really wasn't kidding when she said we might not understand! It's not that I didn't understand what was going on, I just did not think it was a great place to begin.

I still think a lot of the story was told in too short of time with the quick voice-over narrative by Violet, however, this time, I garnered a better understanding of the film's world and it's history. Perhaps it was the noise or the theatre the first time, but this time I "got it" right away.

One other major faux pas was the fact that the word "vampire" was not even used until the middle or later part of the movie. Until then i had no clue that this new species of "diseased" humans were also referred to as vampires! Sure one or two had longer than average eye teeth, but since a few of the actors had horrible teeth anyway I thought nothing of it. All of a sudden the main characters are throwing the word vampire around and it took me out of the movie to figure out what they meant. They didn't drink blood, they could go out in the daylight, oh, okay, they call themselves vampires because of the blood-transferred virus that gave them super speed, intelligence and physical strength. Sure. Vampires.

Upon this second viewing I realize I missed a very, very quick mention of the word "vampire" in the intro narrative. It was stated but so fast I must have of heard it in the theatre. In this viewing the use of vampires made much more sense.

The last moment I will touch on involves the fake ending of this movie. Yes, I said fake ending. At the point where we think the younger character is dying and Violet may be captured, the film suddenly wrenches on a tagent and we find Violet waking up with her friend, the scene is much different than the rest of the movie and for a moment I almost thought she would wake up and all the fighting, the government/medical takeover would be a dream and the movie would (gladly) end....unfortunately this was not the case. Violet somehow knew the child was not dead after all and she suddenly gives up her random quest for self-death and goes on a vengeance rampage killing oh, what was it...700 men. Right. Only after I left the theatre and disgust..I mean discussed the movie with others did i realize Violet's tears would also carry the "vampire virus" and ultimately may have saved the child. And Violet realized this just before putting a gun to her head. Sure. Right.

Again, maybe it's because I had seen the movie once before and vaguely knew what would happen (though I did not vividly remember) but this "fake ending" wasn't so much of a surprise this time and I understood how it work a lot more clear than the first time. I accepted what was happening and this twist somehow fit together to make sense.

As I have heard from other reviewers, I too, was sorely disappointed by the final burning blade battle between Violet and her foe. Surely a quick bullet to the head would have finished him off? Much of the stunts and fighting scenes, though somewhat well done, made me just shake my head and almost chuckle. Sure, I believed that Violet had super-strength, but please, try to make the fights a tad believable. One swipe of a sword to 10 others does not kill all 10, no matter how fast you are. Sheesh.

Yes, I agree with my past review that after a lot of fast-paced gun fighting and a few close quarters sword battles Violet should have just finished the villain with a quick shot to the head. Yet, earlier we did see him shoot two "phages" in the blink of an eye without slipping his full cup of coffee, so maybe a bullet would be easy to dodge?? This final sword battle was a little anti-climatic and not a interesting as previous battles. I still also think a few of Violets quick 10 to 1 sword swipes were too unreal.
The one redeeming item from this whole debacle...the cool anti-gravity belt buckle. I've got to get one of those.

I still totally want an anti-gravity belt or motorcycle, but the transition into these "gravity-leveler" moments went on too long, possibly to show off the cool graphic effects of these tools. I ALSO really want to have the "flat space technology" that allowed a truck to become a whole laboratory, or a sword to be stored seemingly right in the chest of the attacker, oh and to hold a person inside a small space, too! Very cool.

So these are my additions to my review of "Ultraviolet". I no longer think it is "ultravomit" but an interesting take on how our society could become ruled by fear of disease rather than the fear of terrorism.