Well, several points:
In the evolution of the vampiric storyline, I thought that
Underworld brought a lot to the table. The movie
plotline in and of itself was pretty generic in my opinion, and even the ending was cliche and cookie cutter, as far as vamp movies go. Nothing new there people.
And that pissed me off. Why? It had such great beginnings! If you watch the DVD interview with the writer (Lucian's righthand Werewolf), his thinking was pretty interesting. I am vastly intrigued by his decision to make the Genesis of vampirism come from a
virus of all things! He basically made vampirism be a medical outbreak - a
scientific occurence! And to my mind, that seemingly small biological change in the genesis takes his vampirism out of the mysticism and boldly into science like no other.
I respect that.
I also found the movie a visually enchanting picture. Rather than being simply "dark," they made it blue-tinged as though you viewed through a glass or prism. It made me think/feel that the picture/show was distilled -- and made it all feel very scientific, sanitary, and clinical, even.
The leaping from heights to land on feet was just cool.
The liquid garlic/silver bullets was just cool.
The CGI effects were just cool.
But the
CGI v. Puppetry discussion has been the subject of a heated debate among other science fiction fans, and indeed, a lot of people I know felt that
Underworld was too heavily CGI, and should have been more puppet.
But as far as stories go, they recycled that same old worn out husk that unfolds in all vamp movies.

THAT was a real let down, and waste of talent, ideas, and acting.
Ah well. I have every intention of seeing it again, and possibly owning it.
Still in all,
Underworld added a new vervy-ness to vampiric films, and I think they are going to give the
Blade movies a run for their money. I hope that the cinematic and genesis examples that Underworld provided to the vamp universe serve to revolutionize the other filmmakers in the genre, and infuse it with newer, more innovative ideas. (Yeah, THAT'LL happen.

)
And I cant WAIT for
Blade: Trinity.