Customer Reviews

Ultraviolet

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For those who have not seen this movie, it is well worth the buy. Set in modern day London, a cop's partner is "turned" on the eve of his wedding. As he investigates his partner's failure to show and disappearance, he learns that vampires (or "leeches" as they are usually called -- the word vampire is never used) are real. He is then co-opted into a special government branch -- run by an ex Priest, a medical scientist, and a special forces operative -- that is hunting the vampires.

Are the vampires evil? Does religion really have anything to with them? Is the cross's effect on vampires merely psychosomatic or is there real power there? Is the special branch just a modern day version of the inquisition, oppressing the innocent?

It is to the show's credit that you do not really know the answers to all of these questions until the last episode, though clues are sprinkled about throughout.

This is the best vampire story I've ever encountered (book, movie, or series). Although shown occasionally on the Sci Fi channel, owning the DVD is well worth the price to see it for the first time.

For those who have seen the series on t.v., the DVD is still worthwhile. Though there is not much in the way of extras, the DVD version seemed much easier to understand (and not just because I had seen it before). The sound quality is very good. On the t.v. version the conversation was sometimes hard to follow because of the English accents. Not so with the DVD. Being able to follow the conversations more closely added a lot to my viewing pleasure.

Worth it.

An elite group in the police department are pursuing modern day vampires. But they aren't running around killing vampires with wooden stakes. This British "miniseries" (6 episodes) gives an updated twist to the old Vampire myths. For example, if a vampire can't be seen in a mirror, it stands to reason that he can't be seen on videotape. Hmmmm.... Provides a surveillance challenge!! Very inventive twists make Ultraviolet fascinating to watch!

However, it's not just the unique updating of the myth that makes this series a good watch. The story development is excellent, and the characters are very well played. Probably most familiar to US audiences will be Susannah Harker in a very different role from her portrayal of Jane in the BBC/A&E production of "Pride and Prejudice". She is excellent as the doctor in the group, focusing on the medical aspects of the vampire challenge.

Very different in style from the US shows "Kindred: The Embraced" (available on DVD) and "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer", Ultraviolet is more focused on the psychological than blood and guts. "Kindred" and "Buffy" are action fare, "Ultraviolet" is psychological fare. If you enjoy a psychological thriller with a little action thrown in and are intrigued by the Vampire myth, you will enjoy Ultraviolet.

I got an advance copy of Ultraviolet DVD and watched all 6 hours over the course of 2 nights. Right off the bat it was very obvious that Ultraviolet is a British production - rather than beating you over the head in the first 15 mins, they give you credit for having a brain and piece things together in a way that really draws you in. The film/series runs 6 hours and the writer/director Joe Ahearne really understands how to set a pace to keep you engaged while moving the story along.

Ultraviolet takes a wonderfully fresh and inventive approach towards vampires. I genuinely enjoyed the infusion of technology in relation to vampires - If vampires don't have any reflection, how can they talk over a phone? I also really liked the philosophical approach it took to the subject of vampires: Are vampires really bad? Should they be killed because they are who they are?

In the early years of the X-Files I was certainly a fan, but the show really lost me over the years, after watching Ultraviolet I realized why. Rather than hyping up some big conspiracy and never doing anything about it, Ultraviolet creates a complex world where everything isn't black and white but there are very specific 'rules'. Rather than myopically focusing on the world it creates Ultraviolet concentrates on really telling complete stories about the people in that world.

Ultraviolet was well acted, well directed and thoroughly enjoyable. I can't remember the last time I spent 6 hours watching something and was more than willing to see more. If Ultraviolet ever became a regular series I'd certainly be a faithful watcher!

this DVD was recommended to me by amazon.com itself, and i must congratulate the system that brought this to my attention. any viewer will be quietly devastated that there are only 6 episodes of this series about a building war against vampires and humans. the concept itself has no shock value - we've seen the vampire myth done to death (so to speak) - but what will nab you is the brilliance of the characters, the actors, and the storyline. this is not comic book X-files fodder, with its glitzy special effects. this is drama, and literate drama at that. the interweaving of the characters tales and fates is remarkable for TV. but don't panic if you're the kind who shies away from drama. this isn't heavy. there's chills and spills aplenty for those who like their suspense and a few layers of depth for those who like more meat to their vampire stories. at its core, it is a drama about war, built up around the concept of vampires, and because it uses this myth as its backbone and not it's front cover, it's hard to imagine anyone (even those who don't like vampire stories) won't become involved.
other reviews have said this is strictly for sci-fi/horror fans and i disagree. the four characters - scientist, warrior, cleric and cop - beautifully represent humanity and its struggle to be human. who can't identify with that?

This excellent British mini-series has brought the vampire myth bang up to date. We all know from the old movies we've seen that vampires don't cast a reflection in a mirror.... nowadays it's a little more complicated. They can't use the phone without a voice synthesiser, and how do you track them running through a busy subway station when they don't show up on CCTV cameras? Although they are called "Leeches" rather than vampires, we all know what we're talking about. Leeches can be detected with ultraviolet light (hence the title), and modern weapons have been developed to fight them, including machine guns with ultraviolet sights firing carbon bullets and garlic gas grenades. Policeman Michael Coleman is recruited into the secretive organisation formed to combat the leeches, but he's very much an outsider, and those around him all have their own hidden agendas. He is about to be best man at his friends wedding when the friend disappears, and the next time Coleman sees him, he's been through a few changes..... I'm a big Buffy fan, but this series tackles the whole vampire-hunting scenario in a more adult and thoughtful way, and puts forward some interesting ideas about how vampires might have adapted to the modern world, and how we might combat them. The individual episodes are self-contained while still moving the arc of the whole story forward, and are guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.....this is some of the most gripping tv I have seen in a long time. British viewers will recognise Jack Davenport (Coleman) from the BBC2 series "This Life", and Susannah Harker (Angela Marsh) from the excellent BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Predjudice"

I received this as an Amazon suggestion and were they right on. I never really got into the X-Files, finding their concept compelling but the story lines a little repetitive. Further, I dislike horror fiction and Ann Rice's take on vampires. With all that said, you might wonder why I liked this. The answer is simple: A great story.

I like the concept of a vampire underground, organized and thoughtful, a sinister threat, not just a blood thirsty killing machine. The characters are brilliant and the tension between them is spectacular. The plots incorporate interesting ideas, updated for the modern era: Vampires cannot be seen in mirrors, so today that also means, they can't be seen on cameras. The greatest little suggestion in the series is that vampires often seek people in their 30's to convince to join them. Why? Because they realize their youth is slipping away and don't want to get older. Brilliant. (With that said, all the vampires now must be baby boomers.)

I loved these episodes and am now suffering withdrawal from awaiting more episodes.

Ultraviolet is a slick creepy thriller that ventures far from the vampire genre. Fangs, wooden stakes,garlic cloves,crucifixes are not the centerpiece of the weapons used against the "leeches", as one character calls them.{Though all are employed,ingeniously}. The vampires present themselves as a persecuted minority, trying to live in harmony, hunted by the church and its associates. The hunters are a hemotologist, a Gulf war veteran, a London Cop and a priest,all of whom have their reasons{which unfurl brillaintly}. Only the priest never loses sight of what is at stake, for the eternal life offered is rather seductive.The story is multilayered,with political, financial, enviornmental, racial and religious overtones. The ultimate question is are they looking for peaceful co-existence{by creating synthetic blood} or is there something more sinister. This series succeeds on so many levels. The four leads{Jack davenport,Susannah Harker, Idris Elba and Philip Quast} are absolutely on target,each inhabiting their character to the degree that by the 6th episode{two discs], you feel something for these folks. Much of the violence is implied, with very few of the blody scenes usually accompanying this genre.Channel 4 has lived up to its usual brillaint standards. This is cool,creepy and very ,very good. The title refers to a comment made by the priest to the cop early on. It sums up the series well. RExcellent, and damned good fun!!!!!!!

First caught part of this on Scifi Channel; later got OK copies of the series from friend in the UK. Finally I can get complete, high quality copy of the whole six episode series. And it is one terrific series-- dark and moody, suspenseful and intelligent, driven by character and a sharp updating of the vampire mythos. If you like British styled drama (Touching Evil, for example) or X-files, you will love this series. I only wish more episodes had been done.

Okay, this series had meaning to me. And I'm about to reveal what a poor sap I am, but when my wife and I were in the hospital having our baby, this show was on. That fact, combined with the alluring X-Files similarities, made me buy it, even though I really knew nothing about it. Let me tell you, I am GLAD I did. I won't waste time summing up the entire storyline -- you can read that elsewhere. But what I will tell you is that the things that stood out to me are two-fold. One, this is the first vampire story I've seen where the vampires don't spend the whole show trying to kick people's butts. No offense, Buffy, but it's nice to see vampires in something other than leather jackets... The "leeches" are crafty, manipulative, and even political in nature. Just like real people. The second great thing about this is that the special effects don't try to hit you over the head. The first thing I noticed was that the effects are just perfect. When a vampire gets staked or carbon-bullet riddled, he doesn't have some ridiculous fake-looking transformation. They pulled off what they could with the budget they had and didn't try to overdo it. The result is a smart, sophisticated series aimed at almost every viewer. Another thing that hooked me is the great lines. "Our free range days are over..." <Sigh> I love that line. Everything above, combined with a new look at traditionally-accepted vampire mythos, makes Ultraviolet an entrancing option. Too bad it's only six episodes. But then, maybe that's a hint X-Files should have taken . . .

This TV miniseries is incredable! It's slick. I generaly think people who use the word "edgy" to describe things like movies are posers and a bit snobish, so I won't use it, but the music is anxious and somewhat sinister (but really good, not that .... some movies have that's all atonal violins with no melody that just annoys me). The premise is a very well done update of the idea of vamps, with quite a bit more thought and careful craft put into it than many full-scale hollywood productions. I wish they'd make more. It asks questions about morality, and doesn't answer them, and like in real life motivation can only be determined by actions; but also like in life, all actions can have more than one explanation.

I also love the people they picked as actors. They can express so much without moving a muscle, they're stupendous. It has lots of atmosphere and is very understated.

This miniseries really deserves 5 stars. Lots of people who don't really think much of the typical vampire movie will like it; there's no great swatches of blood, no melodramatic hypnosis or supernatural heebie-jeebies going on. These are completely modern vampires, quite conversant with modern technology and medicine, and brilliant at manipulation.