In core essence this is Braveheart/Spartacus, only in CGI laden horror/action form. Determined to break the king's enslavement of his people, Lucian faces off against the Death Dealer army in a bid for Lycan independence. Check out the exclusive TVGuide.com movie review and see our movie rating for Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans. Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel king of the vampires, has persecuted the Lycans for centuries. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is the prequel to the previous two Underworld films. Aided by his secret love, Sonja, courageous Lucian leads the Lycans in battle against brutal Vampire king Viktor. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) Cast and Crew. It tells the story about what led to the werewolf/vampire feud, with bloody energetic results. This is due to monetary constraints and the director waiting too long to find a suitable brunette actress. It is the third installment (chronologically the first) in the Underworld series, focusing primarily on the origins of some characters and the events leading to the vampire–Lycan war, depicted in the previous films Underworld and Underworld: Evolution. The new prequel Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans continues the trend.Set in a vague medieval-ish past, it opens with a hefty chunk of history about how a clan of castle-dwelling vampires led by Bill Nighy (reprising his role from the first two films) bred up a race of intelligent werewolf slaves called Lycans. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is a 2009 American film directed by Patrick Tatopoulos. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) - Patrick Tatopoulos on AllMovie - The Underworld series gets the prequel treatment… Sonja in Underworld. The Underworld series gets the prequel treatment with this third outing that fleshes out the story of the ancient war between the vampiric Death Dealers and their wolfman counterparts, the Lycans. Underworld Rise Of The Lycans. A prequel to the first two Underworld films, this fantasy explains the origins of the feud between the Vampires and the Lycans. Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel king of the vampires, has persecuted the Lycans for centuries. The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. The prequel story traces the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans. In core essence this is Braveheart/Spartacus, only in CGI laden horror/action form. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) Cast and Crew. Movies. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is a 2009 American film directed by Patrick Tatopoulos. It tells the story about what led to the werewolf/vampire feud, with bloody energetic results. While it may not be "Citizen Canine," Rise of the Lycans tells its tale competently and without the derivative nature of its predecessors. In the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them.