Ultraviolet

Starring:Jack Davenport, Susannah Harker, Idris Elba, Philip Quast, Colette Brown, Fiona Dolman, Thomas Lockyer, Stephen Moyer, Daniel Moynihan, Julie Smith, Christopher Villiers, Anni Domingo, Elizabeth Earl, Stephanie Fayerman, Jimmy Gallagher, Dennis Banks (II), Sam Bardens, Eamon Boland, George Cook (IV), Jeremy Gilley
Director: Joe Ahearne
Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
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.

Amazon.com

As an overdose of eye candy, Ultraviolet can be marginally recommended as the second-half of a double-feature with Aeon Flux. Both films are disposable adolescent fantasies featuring a butt-kicking babe (in this case, the svelte and sexy Milla Jovovich) in a dystopian future, and both specialize in the kind of barely-coherent, video-game storytelling that's constantly overwhelmed by an over-abundance of low-budget CGI. Director Kurt Wimmer fared much better with his earlier film Equilibrium, but he's trying for a lively comic-book vibe here (beginning with Hulk-like opening credits) with a digitally enhanced, Tron-like color palette. It largely suits this late-21st century story of a "blood war" between the ultra-violent Violet (Jovovich), member of a vampire-like group of resistance fighters infected with a man-made virus called the Hemophage, and the human Vice Cardinal Daxus (Nick Chinlund), who's determined to eliminate Violet's kind once and for all. Wimmer takes all of this way too seriously, crafting a plot involving Violet's rescue of a human clone boy (Cameron Bright) that's intended as an homage to John Cassevetes' 1980 drama Gloria, but Wimmer's good intentions are mostly lost in a repetitive series of chaotically choreographed fight scenes, mostly involving the tight-bodied Jovovich wiping out dozens of armor-clad enemies. It's all too numbingly hectic to qualify as a satisfying movie, but sci-fi buffs should give it a look anyway, if only to see how locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong contribute to the film's futuristic design.--Jeff Shannon

Description

Milla Jovovich (Resident Evil, The Fifth Element), Cameron Bright (X-Men 3), Nick Chinlund (The Legend of Zorro) and William Fichtner (The Longest Yard) star in this theatrical set in the late 21st century, a subculture of humans have emerged who have been modified genetically by a vampire-like disease (Hemophagia), giving them enhanced speed, incredible stamina and acute intelligence, and as they are set apart from "normal" and "healthy" humans, the world is pushed to the brink of worldwide civil war (a war between humans and hemophages) aimed at the destruction of the "diseased" population. In the middle of this crossed-fire is - an infected woman - Ultraviolet, who finds herself protecting a nine-year-old boy who has been marked for death by the human government as he is believed to be a threat to humans.

Customer Reviews:

"Gun-blade" movie which commits seppuku, and then shoots itself in the head for good measure.......2007-06-10

If there is genius here, it must reside in the ultraviolet spectrum, for this fool's eyes can't see it. Perhaps writer/director Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium, Sphere) thought it was sufficient to wrap ideas from past successes around the scaffolding of this movie's comic-book foundation. However, this structure will not last eons, and probably will crumble from the minds of most audience members the minute "End" is registered by their photoreceptors.

In the recent past, a bioweapons lab, seeking to modify the DNA of a known virus for military application, instead accidentally makes the pathogen infinitely more virulent than it was before. Far from causing a few sniffles, this new bug escapes the facility via rapid transmission and replication, and speeds along Homo sapiens evolution by a couple of hundred millennia of so, facilitating the emergence of the Hemophages. The government seeks to contain the "plague," and collects those who are contagious, sending them to concentration-camp-like isolation zones. When it is discovered that these collected persons are never heard from again, the Hemophages organize for their very survival. Although they have superhuman powers of lightning speed and great strength, the Hemophages seem incapable in making inroads against their oppressors: they require a secret weapon of their own.

Seemingly doomed to the role of fighting-vixen for all time, Milla Jovovich again dons the Lycra-impregnated jumpsuit to fiercely impart justice to any random redshirt who tumbles her way. Violet (Milla) is the ultimate infiltrator of the Hemophages. This group of pseudo-vampires has banded together to elude the hygiene-obsessed Daxus (Nick Chinlund). In principle, this seems simple--unfortunately, Daxus acts as despot over an army of gasmask-wearing, Uzi-toting thugs who seems singularly incapable of doing any actual fighting. The film opens with Violet piercing the security systems of Daxus' main laboratory. She successfully poses as a courier, enduring bone, retinal, DNA, blood, and voice-scans before being allowed full access to the package she has been "hired" to deliver. The real security-courier arrives seconds after the package has been delivered into Violet's gloved hand, triggering klaxons, low-level minion attacks, and an escape sequence which, quite literally, defies gravity.

Following countless action sequences--during which the viewer neither believes not cares that Violet's life is in any real danger--it is revealed that the "weapon" is really a young boy who acts as host for a virus capable of eradicating all Hemophages. Trapped in an extra-dimensional space inside the package, Six (Cameron Bright) soon whisks away Violet's common sense with one or two pouty expressions, requiring her to also find refuges from her previous kin.

There are an abundance of new and borrowed science-fiction ideas secreted away in this mess of a movie--a pity because a better story may have implemented them more interestingly, and more cohesively. The extra-dimensional storage space is capable of holding near-infinite quantities of weapons, ammunition, boys, etc. The sanitation-themed society bears similarity to the real world of yesterday, in regards to the maniacal devotion to facial-handkerchief implementation seen in individuals who succumbed to fear of the SARS virus. Super-powerful ninja-vampires suggest a "Blade"-like influence.

However, no amount of special ideas could have saved this movie from being, at best, fluff. The dialogue is atrocious, with endless pseudo-philosophical ruminations which remind us of the more easily-forgotten "deep" conversations we all thought we had in college. The plot is intricate in a maddeningly unimportant way, as I simply didn't care to puzzle the whole thing out. The action is absolutely unbelievable, horribly edited, and 100% bloodless--a bit of gore could have at least appeased the viewer's inner voyeur. Inside, we get sterile, uninteresting, and repetitive "gun-blade" fighting (guns are used as projectile and melee weapons). This movie is like "Equilibrium" under the influence of a fistful of diazepam, with a couple ounces of any given hallucinogen thrown in for good measure.

Chinlund is an excellent actor who steals every scene he's in--as the noseplug-wearing Daxus, he is suitably over-the-top and quite entertaining. Jovovich is eye-candy for those favoring females of Kievan Rus extraction, and little more. Bright is believable as a doomed boy-weapon thrown into a titanic struggle where he is only a pawn. He is also less creepy than he was in previous roles, but only by a hair.

"Ultraviolet" is recommended for those bed-bound, who are also fortunate enough to be accompanied by several good mates and a smattering of potent beverages. To summarize, this is a perfect drinking-game movie. Drink once for every ten vanquished enemies, twice for every five shots of Milla's exposed midriff, and thrice for every smile that cracks the face of Daxus.

Makes 'Resident Evil' Look Like High Art.......2007-06-02

Admit it. Milla Jovovich with purple hair is hot. You're right, she is. Well, you're not alone because that seemed to be the only idea behind this production. Other than that, Ultraviolet is cold, stiff, shiny, cheap-looking, badly shot, and woodenly acted.

Rent if you must!

Comic book movie.......2007-05-30

As far as I can tell, it's a movie about a wig, sunglasses, and a bellybutton. Co-starring a motorcycle that can drive up a vertical surface.

I give it a star for the CGI artwork. Milla Jovovich is a very pretty girl, any movie she's in automatically rates 2 bonus stars.

This movie lets her stretch her acting skills, nice to see after watching Resident Evil - Apocalypse (Special Edition).

Don't miss her in The Fifth Element, co-starring Bruce Willis.

This could be your fate if you don't live right.......2007-05-29

Think of an eternity of burning torture. That's what watching this mess of a movie is.

Good movie, if you can pay attention.......2007-05-06

Let me first say, I loved this movie when I first saw it in High-Definition. It was absolutely beautiful, which is one of the huge things about this movie. Even in standard definition, this movie is easy on the eyes.

One problem with this movie is that it appears as if some of the storyline is missing, which apparently it was; somebody cut a two hour movie down to a 90 min. movie. Because of this, you have to pay an extraordinary amount of attention to this movie, and remember every detail because if you don't, it wont make sense later.

This movie is not great for an action-packed movie night with the kids, or with your buddies, but if you have time to focus on the story, what this movie is is an extraordinary piece of art with lots of symbolism, moments of humor, and huge, awesome action scenes. (And not just any action scenes, the sort of action scene you play out when you're a little kid where every single enemy until the last one falls at your hands)

Super seious Sci-Fi fans will find major MAJOR faults with this movie, but remember, they wet themselves when they see Star Wars, you probably don't. So, if you wanna see a movie that, although it isn't perfect, will probably entertain you, even to the point of making you think, get this one!

Average customer rating:

Not even rentable
Very stylish, cool to watch
nice effects
OK
Good transfer, terrible movie

Ultraviolet [Blu-ray]
Starring: Milla Jovovich , and Nick Chinlund
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Horror | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Underworld - Evolution (Blu-ray)
Casino Royale [Blu-ray]
The Fifth Element [Blu-ray]
Aeon Flux [Blu-ray]
Black Hawk Down [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000FGGE7C
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Product Description

Blu-ray Disc - Ultraviolet

Customer Reviews:

Not even rentable.......2007-06-12

I really wanted to like Ultraviolet. From the writer and director of Equilibrium, Kurt Wimmer creates an alternative future where an ancient virus from Eastern Europe turns ordinary humans into vampires. An Orwellian government, bent of destroying the vampires, creates a weapon that will destroy them all. Milla Jovovich plays the comic-book inspired heroine who was infected with the virus and held for the humans to conduct expirements on her through various tests. The testing nearly kills her, which kills the child in her womb. She is sent by the vampire faction to capture the weapon and destroy it. So this film pretty much failed at everything. The entire story was told in the opening naration, and the rest of it was a series of vivid battles with a variety of uniform enemies with no faces, and no cause for existence. There isn't any story development, and some elements come from nowhere and go nowhere. There are peripheral enemies that are not introduced or explained, and Milla just decimates them, and there is nary mention of them after; there is a love story that lasts all of two lines; there is not a lot more. The acting is terrible, of course they weren't given much dialog to work with either. It seems as if Wimmer took a bunch of different ideas (each of which are interesting) and threw them together into a vomitorium. Even the graphics were sub-par. Some scenes looked amazing, and would make a good Blu-ray Disc reference piece, but the rest of it looked two generations old. The city was a tiled texture, the vehicles were smooth and polygonal, and the fire, smoke and glass (especially in the last scene) didn't even look rendered. I didn't watch this one with expecting much considering its short life in theaters and the really bad review from critics, but I was still disappointed. If you want to watch something on your new high-def TV, this might make for a good view for friends, but otherwise you probably want to avoid it.

Very stylish, cool to watch.......2007-06-10

Good movie, done in a very stylish, classy way. I enjoyed it and will certainly watch it again. Some of the computer generatic graphics weren't that good, but most of them were, so it didn't detract from the movie. My only pet peeves are that some of the fight scenes seemed a bit unrealistic, with no explanation of how she suceeded, and the other thing is that soft focus is used on the faces sometimes. It's annoying when the rest of the frame is sharp. but you can't see detail in the faces, especially annoying with such a beautiful woman in the picture.

The plot and script is not quite as good as Equilibrium, but I had fun watching it and it is enjoyable nonetheless.

nice effects.......2007-05-16

good action film, i love mila, but the story is lame...
all in all good fun, suitable for blu ray, not to many extra features...

OK.......2007-02-28

I liked but didn't love this movie. I thought it got kind of boring in areas and although I know its the style, the softness of the cinematography bothered me. I bought it because I like Milla Jovovich. As far as the movie itself goes, buy this one from the bargain aisle and not at full price.

Good transfer, terrible movie.......2007-02-09

Good PQ and a solid transfer cannot save this movie. By far one of the worst movies on Blu ray, utter garbage. Terrible acting and some of the worst action I have ever seen in a action movie. Story is lacking and somewhat confusing. Blu ray can't save this films many flaws!

Average customer rating:

Mistery
Handsome Man and Vampires
Don't sleep on this one!
A cut above
Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet
Starring: Jack Davenport , Susannah Harker , Idris Elba , Philip Quast , and Colette Brown
Director: Joe Ahearne
Manufacturer: Palm Pictures / Umvd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Kindred the Embraced - The Complete Vampire Collection
Near Dark (2pc) (Ws Spec)
Nick Knight
Modern Vampires
Ultraviolet (Unrated, Extended Cut)

ASIN: B00005KA70
Release Date: 2001-06-26

Amazon.com

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?

The two-disc DVD set features an audio interview with Ahearne along with episode synopses and character notes. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

Mistery.......2007-04-10

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.

Handsome Man and Vampires.......2007-04-03

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.

Don't sleep on this one!.......2007-02-09

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.

A cut above.......2007-02-02

This series puts some new and much-welcome twists on the traditional vampire tales. The actors are very fine, looking like they genuinely believe in what they're doing and reacting to. The suspense is terrific and the only negative is...why was there never a second series done? If you're a Yank you may have to adjust to (1) the Brit accents and (2) writing that demands you engage your brain in order to follow along. I'll take UV over Buffy any day of the week!

Ultraviolet.......2007-01-26

Excellent series. Great side stories as well as main theme. There should have been more than the one season. Too short.

Average customer rating:

"Gun-blade" movie which commits seppuku, and then shoots itself in the head for good measure
Makes 'Resident Evil' Look Like High Art
Comic book movie
This could be your fate if you don't live right
Good movie, if you can pay attention

Ultraviolet (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Milla Jovovich , and Nick Chinlund
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Underworld - Evolution (Widescreen Special Edition)
Aeon Flux (Special Collector's Edition)
V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Bloodrayne (Unrated Director's Cut)(DVD ROM game is included)
X-Men - The Last Stand (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000FGGE5Y
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

"Gun-blade" movie which commits seppuku, and then shoots itself in the head for good measure.......2007-06-10

Makes 'Resident Evil' Look Like High Art.......2007-06-02

Comic book movie.......2007-05-30

This could be your fate if you don't live right.......2007-05-29

Think of an eternity of burning torture. That's what watching this mess of a movie is.

Good movie, if you can pay attention.......2007-05-06

Ultraviolet (Unrated) (UMD Mini For PSP)

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Movie!!! Milla in Wonderland!!!
MMMMMMMMMilla!!!!

Ultraviolet (Unrated) (UMD Mini For PSP)
Starring: Milla Jovovich , and Nick Chinlund
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Underworld - Evolution (UMD Mini for PSP)
Resident Evil (UMD Mini For PSP)
Sin City (UMD Mini For PSP)
Doom (UMD Mini for PSP)
Kingdom of Heaven (UMD Mini For PSP)

Accessories:

Sony PSP PlayGear Amp
Sony PSP Comfort Grips Black
Sony PSP Psyclone Nodus Sound System
Sony PSP Travel Case

ASIN: B000FGGE6I
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Movie!!! Milla in Wonderland!!!.......2006-08-13

This was a quite a feat of filmmaking. It had beautiful art direction and stunning visuals. Milla Jovovich was wonderful - not only for her amazing abilities with a sword, but for her excellent, unique acting abilities where rich emotions swim under a cool exterior - part of Milla's trademark style but delivered here with absolute precision and total humanity. William Fichtner also has a great but understated role in this as a scientist living in a mobile trailer that expands into a voluminous laboratory due to the 'flat space' technology of the times, another fantastic metaphor extended throughout the movie with incredible beauty and humor. Milla has a lot of cool things to say about this (and the architecture) in the films commentary section. The film is visually the most elegant and stunning I have seen, largely due to the crispness of execution and the subtle intelligence of art design and choreography utilized throughout - the scenery and style of the movie are a "vision" - and the actors seamlessly make themselves part of this world. It is a very graceful yet cutting movie that packs quite a graphic punch but is also willing to explore great storytelling and is often highly poetic in dialogue and theme - half the story is interwoven in the visual narrative - so if you are not careful, some of the delicate nuances of this film can fly straight over your head. Do not underestimate this film or the story! Its sparseness of design and execution are part of what makes it wonderful. As an artist or photographer I think one could appreciate how every still from this film would make an attractive canvas or print. Visually it is just superb! The DVD has some very interesting special features about the filming locations etc...
All in all - riveting plot for a sci-fi - full of depth and humor and cool ideas. The story line was rich and sharply executed, not laden down by excess and useless dialogue like so many films - instead it has minimalist yet powerful and understated dialogue where every word counts (like a haiku). This movie is light and graceful yet full of substance, and the fight scenes were awesome! If you don't "get" this movie, don't write it off - watch it again and come around!

MMMMMMMMMilla!!!!.......2006-07-23

Watch Milla "Yovovitch" kill about 5oo guys for an hour anda half.
Good that they kept Milla in front of the camera for 90 minutes.
Who cares about the plot.
I bought Zoolander and Milla was only in it for 2 minutes. Bummer

Average customer rating:

A great crime/horror blend

Ultraviolet [Region 2]
Starring: Jack Davenport , Susannah Harker , Idris Elba , Philip Quast , and Colette Brown
Director: Joe Ahearne
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000053W5J

Customer Reviews:

A great crime/horror blend.......2006-10-03

This UK series starts with a policeman faced with a dilemma involving his best friend and his fiance. We also come to realize that there is a new breed of people that are a threat to regular civilians as the super secret government agency that deals with them tries get the man to join in their secret agenty ranks. Are the people vampires? That word is never used and this series makes the viewer buy into their premise. As the series continues on we question whether the vampires are good or bad? Is the government hunting down a misunderstood group of people? Like that's never happened before...... Twists galore and great acting. I really enjoyed this show and although the end, coming full circle, left things up in the air - it's been years since it aired and sadly, no second series has been made.

Average customer rating:

Ultraviolet/the Ballad of Paul K
Starring: Mcfly
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( U ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Wonderland

ASIN: B000BW9UVC
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Average customer rating:

Lightning Bolt

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

All Region Disc
Chapter Menu
DVD-ROM Compatible

ASIN: B000GU4NQQ

Product Description

The U.S. moon rocket program has suffered repeated setbacks, due to a string of mysterious disasters. While examining the wreckage of the latest failed launch, a chief NASA scientist suddenly disappears. Desperate for answers, the Federal Security Investigation Commission calls on Agent Harry Sennet (Eisley) to solve the case. Sennet, and his sexy partner Patricia Flanagan (Lorys), initiate operation "Lightning Bolt", and set about to uncover what evil forces may lie at the core of the strange occurrences. The Agents must ultimately defend the fate of the entire world against the diabolical plans of an all-powerful villain, who funds his nefarious efforts in a most unusual way...

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Amarcord - Criterion Collection

Mozart: Piano Quartets K 478 And K 493

Sherlock Holmes - The Priory School / The Second Stain

DVD: Rapunzel/Six Servants

Cocktail