Sneaked out Sunday afternoon to watch this. I got the first movie on DVD, and really liked the overall feel. I thought the werewolves were the best done I'd seen, and the oldest vampire Viktor actually looked like I thought a thousand year old undead creature ought to look when he was first "waken" by another vampires. They ought to be scaly and disgusted and not real human looking.
The sequel I thought was actually pretty good. Same feel - lots of night and dark scenes, starting with a nighttime battle between vampires and sort of uber-werewolves. I had forgotten how good Bill Nighy is as the (unfortunately very dead) Viktor. The guy looks and sounds like a Roman emperor, and just nails the role of leader of the vampire coven. I've read complaints that the werewolves change too fast, but I think the plot requires it. I did agree that the way action scenes were frequently noticeably speeded up was a little annoying. If they could just blur the action a little it would look better. Once we get to the present, the movie clicks along just fine - the plot worked for me, and, again, the visual spectacle was pretty neat. It was slightly disappointing to learn that Kate Beckinsale's husband was the director, because then I had this whole subtext to all the love scenes that I had to deal with. (How do you direct that? I mean, do you say, "okay, honey, make that face that you do when - you know?" Do you compliment her on her acting and have her say, "well, how would you know?" Just too many issues.) But a well-done scene between Selene and Michael, I have to say. And Kate Beckinsale really does a great job carrying the movie. There are no weak spots in the casting, but she carries the story, and I thought did fine.
Overall, good movie. I'm looking forward to the sequel and, of course, the extended DVD.