good back-story, and good acting

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The acting in this movie is really good.

If not for the 2003 reboot of Battlestar Galactica, I would say "Ultraviolet" was by far the best scifi TV show of the last 20 years. Indeed it has much in common with Battlestar, making me wonder if Battlestar creators were influenced by this great show. Foremost we are challenged with themes of moral ambiguity like never before. By that, I mean we are forced to question who are the "good guys", who are the "bad guys", and are there any limits to what injustices we commit in the name of war? For example, in one very jarring episode, we are faced with the conundrum: are the "good guys" justified in forcefully performing an abortion on an unwilling woman simply because her fetus could be a vampire hybrid?But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start with the basic premise. It's the age old concept of vampires preying on humans and humans fighting back, except "Ultraviolet" delivers a very clear metaphor which other vampire tales only hint at. I'm speaking of the ecological metaphor of 1 species being at the top of the food chain and feeling the need to regulate & control all species below it. Sound like any species you know?I applaud the writer for not mincing words. Direct comparisons are made toward human use (and abuse) of cattle & other livestock. At one point one of the human characters summarizes the situation very clearly by describing how the vampires could have humans all in farms within the next 50 years, punctuating it with, "our free-range days are over."I think this is what has intrigued us for centuries about the classic vampire myth: the idea that there may be a super predator that feeds on us. Will it treat us the same way we treat the lifeforms we consume? Or will it strive for fairness, mutual benefit and true symbiosis with other lifeforms? After all, as one vampire points out, "we all share this planet." This is very progressive stuff, certainly far beyond the standard screamer flicks about bloodsucking monsters.Another point that makes this groundbreaking for a vampire story is that it's one of the earliest versions that puts a hi-tech scientific spin on the battle. No wooden stakes and garlic cloves here; instead the humans use carbon bullets and allicin grenades, allicin being a garlic derivative. Also, the word "vampire" is never uttered (it must be a British thing, like in the 1983 vampire film "The Hunger"). But traditional elements remain, such as vampires not casting reflections, and more interestingly, a complex antagonistic relationship with the Catholic Church. The church's role is never fully explained, but that's part of the show's charm. At one point the vampire killers' justice is referred to as the new Spanish Inquisition, again making us question who the good guys & bad guys are.I probably should've said up front that there isn't a ton of action in these episodes. So if straight up action is what you're after, you might want to look elsewhere. But suspense, tension, mystery, great character development, and above all poignant questions of morality are laid on thick. Again, I can't help bringing up Battlestar Galactica which is the only other TV show I've seen that forces us to decide for ourselves who are the good guys & bad guys.It's a crying shame that this show never got a 2nd season. But apparently writer/director Joe Ahearne was reluctant to do even the six episodes we got. For that reason, the show does end on a decent finale that answers most questions. If you want to believe it. Me personally, I'd like to think that the season 1 finale presents just one possible side of the story, and a 2nd season could show us the other. Yeah I still have hopes that, after 15 years, we'll get a 2nd season. Then again, I'm still waiting for I Dream of Jeannie season 6.I have to say a word about the cinematography, editing & soundtrack: magnificent. Particularly in episode 5 when one of the main characters gets locked in a warehouse with a vampire time bomb slowly counting down, the drama is presented in a classy, cinematic way we rarely get on the small screen.If you're a fan of dark, gritty, suspenseful shows that challenge both your mind and your moral fiber, definitely check this show out. By the way, it has absolutely nothing to do with the 2006 vampire flick "Ultraviolet" with Milla Jovovich. Although there was a 2000 pilot of this series for American audiences produced by Fox (who admitted they "screwed it up"), this killer vampire story hasn't seen the light of day. Start writing in letters, people! Watch it and I'm sure you'll agree; someone needs to resurrect Ultraviolet!

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.

This mini-series was a breath of fresh air. I was quite surprised to find it at my local Blockbuster video, which is renound for carrying a lot of copies of main-stream garbage. This series introduced unusual elements and had all of the signatures of a well-created 'universe.'This is a must-see, esp. for Vampire (did I use the 'v'-word?) fans.

This series is just the kind of great drama that UK TV does so well. Superb acting and atmospheric filming, without breaking the bank.Taking the hoary old vampire tales into the 20th Century makes a great backdrop for a series of great crime thrillers with vampires cast as the villains.Should be cheesy, should be silly, but instead, it is thoroughly gripping, brilliantly acted, classic British TV.