Ultraviolet’s Vampire Action Hits Hulu This February

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She didn’t bask in acclaim with the sci-fi action blockbuster Ultraviolet, but fans can reconnect with the box office flop as it becomes available on Hulu. Released in 2006, the film has largely slipped into obscurity, and some might argue that it should remain forgotten according to critics and audiences. Nevertheless, every movie gets an opportunity to find a new audience when it lands on a new streaming platform, and this could be Ultraviolet‘s moment in the spotlight.

In the film directed by Kurt Wimmer, Milla Jovovich portrays Violet Song, a character afflicted with a bloodthirsty condition similar to vampirism called hemoglophagia. Within the grim backdrop of the movie, this ailment is a certain death for anyone who acquires it. Driven by necessity and desperation, Violet embarks on a perilous journey aimed at overthrowing the government, with assistance from a band of rebels and a young boy who appears to possess the cure within him.

Upon its premiere, the movie “Ultraviolet” collected a modest $31 million at the box office, barely surpassing its estimated budget of $30 million. Often categorized as a flop, it received unfavorable critiques from reviewers, with only 9% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences giving it a dismal 30%. Critics described the film as “inept in every aspect” and suggested that “even a movie as unprofessional as this one could still be screened in 3,000 theaters.” However, some viewers saw it as a decent “popcorn movie,” arguing that it wasn’t as terrible as others claimed. Praise for the film was scarce.

‘Ultraviolet’s Complete Cut Has Never Been Seen

Similar to numerous films, Ultraviolet was initially a more extended production than the one shown in cinemas. Despite its theme revolving around vampiric blood diseases and an action-packed narrative, which typically warrants an R-rating, the movie’s cinema release was a 88-minute PG-13 version. In contrast, the initial cut of the film ran approximately two hours, implying that a significant amount of footage was trimmed to maintain the film’s rating.

Despite a Japanese Blu-ray release of the movie in 2007 featuring an extended, unrated cut with six extra minutes, there’s still about 30 minutes of unused footage that hasn’t been included in any version to date. While some home media releases have offered deleted scenes as bonus content, neither the unrated nor the original U.S. release of this film has ever featured the extended version.

Clearly, the film currently available on Hulu is the PG-13 version that initially hit theaters over 20 years ago, receiving mixed reviews. While streaming it now may not significantly alter the original opinions, it does bring the somewhat overlooked (and potentially easily forgotten) action movie back into public view for a brief revival.

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2025-02-03 03:06