Let me just say that I rather enjoyed this movie and this is why:
The movie turned into a great drinking game idea. Each time the movie strongly reminded me of another movie, I drink. Which movies was I reminded of? Let me tell you. (I love lists)
Lord of the Rings – Brad Dourif + Karl Urban + a cave troll = unmistakable connections
Batman Begins – Bats and batmobiles
V for Vendetta – There were orchestrated explosions and Karl Urban might as well have been V. The society and structure of government is also similar.
Pitch Black – Might actually be the same movie only some people can survive the sun.
Pirates of the Caribbean – The scene where Elizabeth is captured by Captain Barbosa and treated to a feast. That scene was almost exactly duplicated. Lucy even takes and conceals the knife from the table.
I Am Legend – The vampires look quite similar. Similar concepts too, an infection like a disease.
Wild Wild West – This definitely might be considered a modern day sci-fi western.
Planet of the Apes – Turns out this movie is totally futuristic with all our cities destroyed, so this is like a post apocalyptic world only instead of apes, there are vampires.
The Book of Eli – There must be a trend with movies with a strong religious connotation. Both of these movies are post-apocalyptic.
Aliens – …except take the aliens and make them vampires and instead of another planet, make it the future.
Underworld – Actually, this might be a sequel… a super futuristic sequel where the lycans are dead.
Let me just be clear, I really enjoyed all the movies I just listed so this was like a mediocre version of the combination of them all. It was entertaining and I wouldn’t mind seeing it again… but not in theaters.
I wish they had further explored the sacrifice required of Paul Bettany’s character to become a Priest as well as what it took to become a Priest. Maybe if they had spent less time wandering around caves and more time exploring the story the move itself would have done better. Also, it was a little presumptuous to leave it wide open for a sequel assuming it would rock the box office.