Ultraviolet

1998

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
  • 0
7.8| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 15 September 1998 Ended
Producted By: Channel 4 Television
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/ultraviolet
Synopsis

With the growing threat of viral epidemic and the possibility of worldwide environmental catastrophe, humanity has an unprecedented ability to destroy itself, and vampires need to take control of their threatened food source. CIB, an elite government force, has been formed to combat the vampire threat. But when eternal life is offered, no one is beyond temptation...

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Reviews

Alicia I love this movie so much
ThiefHott Too much of everything
Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
Kaydan Christian A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
PrinceHamlet Interested in a thoughtful, sophisticated horror/suspense tale? This six-part mini-series will not disappoint even the most hardcore genre fan.First of all, don't read anything more about the plot. It's a good tale that works best with no knowledge at all of what it is about or what is going on. There are many terrific surprises and each carefully plotted episode builds upon the other and concludes in a satisfying end. Each episode has a slow, stately pace that adds to the spiderweb of intrigue. There are more than a few unsettling ideas in here that are testament to some crafty writers.There are a couple of flaws. For one, the actors are so serious and grave that they seem bland compared to the USA's wisecracking, action heroes. There's little chemistry between the detectives, not because they are poor actors or the dialogue is weak, but because they are acting serious. On the other hand, this comes across as being more realistic. Our heroes have had their personal lives sucked dry by the vamps -- they have no life or passions beyond hunting them.But it's a different take from most detective shows that take the easy approach and therefore fill the show with sarcastic buddy movie banter that doesn't fit the overall tone of the show. Some may take this Brit approach as boring. I prefer the term "realistic" and applaud the decision. However, I must admit that I only liked the characters the second time I saw the series and had time to look deeper at them. The first time I even had several of the characters confused, since they aren't as distinct as clichéd characters from other series.Also, some complain that it is only 6 episodes. However, each episode has so many ideas and dialogue that they individually feel more like movies (so they feel long). Also, the end is throughly done, plotted and concludes the whole series nicely. After it is over, it feels like a full meal compared to other TV series that feel cotton-candy like. Yes, I wish for a sequel. But it ends nicely and doesn't require one.The lack of DVD extras is infuriating, especially considering that you want to know more about the inventive minds who came up with such a devious plot.When you do see it, you'll see why BBC shows are often a class above their Yankee cousins. While inspired by the "X-Files", it expands upon it with a dour, somber mood and populates the cast with nuanced and divided characters. Better yet, the dialogue and unsettling moral dilemmas really make it a standout in the entire genre. I'm a huge "Buffy" fan and appreciate Whedon's postmodern winking, action-packed update of the genre. This is a different twist: grim, political, and psychological. It's well worth the buy.FYI -- Don't judge this by the cover. The box cover seems like an "X-Files" knockoff, when this is not the case. The characters are very unlike Mulder of Scully.
thewakingmind I accidentally ran into an episode of this show one evening a couple months ago while scanning the mind numbing channels of DirecTv. Seeing Jack Davenport (of the UK version of "Coupling") and already being a fan of said show I decided to tune in. It was definitely time well spent.I am a tremendous fan of the sci fi and horror genres. While movies such as Nosferatu, Dracula, Blade and such have their interesting tales to tell they are typically embraced by only a specific audience. While Ultraviolet is a series about vampires (although the word is never uttered in any of the episodes) it has a suspense and an intrigue that is shared with the best mystery or police dramas. Those looking for pale faced vampires, hissing with fang filled mouths at crosses and stakes are sure to be disappointed. Instead we find a world of shadows, cerebral story lines that have real depth (and some ingenious twists and surprises). Colors and backdrops are well utilized to provide a start contrast. When you see the sun begin to set in any of the shows...you feel that sense of fear that the darkness brings to the human characters. The musical score definitely adds to the emotional tension.All the actors provide solid contributions to their roles. Jack Davenport (as mentioned above from "Coupling" and "Pirates of the Caribbean") does a capable job in the lead role as a police officer who loses his partner to the dark side. He joins a secretive church sanctioned organization whose purpose is to understand and combat the individuals who are infected with the virus which causes this vampirism. In my opinion Susannah Harker (scientist/doctor) and Philip Quast (priest/leader) had the most tangible roles. Their scenes regarding mortality, abortion, loss of loved ones could easily be taken from any dramatic series but here they are given the twist that only a show with vampires could provide.The mini-series is available on DVD.
foole-2 vampire series or movie that I have ever seen. In fact, I'm hard pressed to think of any science fiction series or film that does it better. It takes one absurd premise (that vampires are real, and that, while still apparently composed of atoms and reflecting light, they nevertheless cannot be seen in mirrors, filmed, recorded, or detected by any indirect process) and then follows it with rigorous logic. The vampires (or leeches, as they are referred to) do not age or die, and they have had centuries to form a shadowy international conspiracy. Their goals and plans are murky, although their general motive is simple--ensure their food supply. Our heroes (or perhaps 'heroes') are a beleaguered team of humans trying to uncover the truth and break the undead cabal. In this respect, Ultraviolet resembles the X-Files, with some happy improvements. The vampire conspiracy is not essentially infallible. It is not so all-encompassing that our heroes survive only at the whim of their adversaries. And, the conspiracy doesn't enjoy that great advantage of most screen villains: the writer makes sure that they get away when the plot calls for it.A really good show. Get it on DVD and watch it.
sez-imdb Originally I saw Ultraviolet as a TV series, and recently again on DVD. Its compelling: it was all I could do not to watch the whole 6 episodes in one night. Other distinguishing aspects are the intelligent script, and clever plotlines.Characterizing Ultraviolet best however, the standout reason to experience Ahearn's dark vampire mythos work, is "understatement".There's no cut to extreme close-up as the protagonist realises what's going on, followed by a complete explanation in flashback. Dialog is sotto voce, offhand even. Sets, locations, effects are elemental, and still look good in 2003.For example - warning, slight spoiler - when Davenport's character D/Sgt Coleman first discovers what he's into, we discover it with him; rather than having it pushed in our face. The clues have been there; a bizarre pistol augmented with video camera and half-silvered mirror, the comments from Pearse. But is only as he aims the weapon that Mike is forced to the realisation that something evil has taken his old friends place.Watch it again. And again. There's more each time, and the fact that Ahearn _never_ uses the word vampire, is just one of many subtleties. In the opening captions for example the word "Ultraviolet" disappears letter by letter until "V" remains.The effect is artfully limned outlines resulting in a foreboding sense of shadowy figures operating in the periphery of the plot. This helps to emphasise the uncertainty of who can be trusted, who is malevolent and who seeks peace.Completely unlike superhero/schlock based vampire-mythos treatments (Buffy, Blade, Carpenters "Vampires") Ultraviolet revels in the drama of exploring the line between good and evil, faith and lies, living and undeath. Its strongly written medical and detective plotlines work through deeper darker human desires: to cheat death, to find lost loves, and to fight for ones humanity.Also unlike cinematic renderings (eg those based on Anne Rice, and Stoker novels) Utlraviolet carves out new territory in casting the vampire not as individualistic Euro-elegant anti-hero, but as pawns, bishops and rooks of an inexorable and invisible dark power.The characters created by Quast, Davenport, Elba and Harker are heroic in that they have given over their comfortable lives to know and fight evil, but they are vulnerable and human. Even Elba's Vaughan Rice knows he's fighting an evil too fast and powerful; and its his ingenuity that saves him, and his knowledge of his own mortality that makes us want him saved. The contribution of Davenport's Mike Coleman to the group is his cop cunning and intuition, not some lantern jawed, flinty eyed gunslinging. There is so much more in Ultraviolet it seems a terrible shame that only 6 episodes were made. Someone, somewhere please get Ahearn and the team back for season two!

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