Today’s quick review: Ultraviolet. In the future, a draconian government fights with a vampire mob family for control of a boy who could end the vampires once and for all. Violet (Milla Jovovich), a vampire with a conscience, finds herself caught in the middle and must use her enhanced combat abilities to fight her way out. Ultraviolet can best be described as a mid-2000s sci-fi action flick. Just about every aspect of the movie follows directly from this premise. The plot should seem familiar, as it is cobbled together from bits and pieces of other 2000s sci-fi action flicks. The dystopian government and rebellion are lifted from Equilibrium and Aeon Flux, while the trendy sci-fi vampires and the genetic messiah are taken from Underworld. The setting is the bare minimum needed to support the plot: a shiny city lovingly rendered in mid-2000s CGI.
The main draw of Ultraviolet is its action, and while its action does not excel, it does manage to satisfy and even innovate in a few places. Violet’s “hyperdimensional pockets” let her pull weapons and ammo out of thin air, a fun nod to video game inventory systems. The combat is a mixture of swords, guns, and kicks, with plenty of government troops and lesser vampires for Violet to tear her way through. Although it’s nothing to write home about, the action is enough to justify the movie’s existence and make Ultraviolet a serviceable popcorn film. Watch it if you’re in the mood for fun sci-fi action with little plot and dated graphics. Skip it if you’re looking for a deeper or more polished movie in the genre. 4.4 out of 10 on IMDB.