Chronicles of Riddick
Well, frist I have to say that i hate Vin Diesel. The only movie I've seen him in that I liked was the prequel to this movie, Pitch Black. But, that had so much more going for it than just Vin. The director has a distinct vision. David Twohy knew what he wanted, and managed to get just that. Pitch Black was a visceral and unique experience. However, the movies Mr. Diesel has done in the four or five years since have sucked a lot of ass. So, a part of me went into Chronicles of Riddick hoping that it would be bad. Just an awful movie which would put the final nail into Vin Diesel's career. But, a different part of me, the one who enjoyed Diesel in Pitch Black, is very glad that this sequel did not suck. It was in no way better than Pitch Black, but really, its a very different type of movie.
Pitch Black was a horror/sci-fi film. It relied on small, well-done effects, and a small, talented cast to carry it. Riddick, on the other hand, is a pure sci-fi actioner, and relies on a huge budget, large effects, and a large cast to carry it. And, they all do a good job.
The plot includes a race of evil-doers called the Necromongers. They are led by an individual who has been to another plane of existance and is slowly destroying or converting the universe until he returns to that plane. When we first see Riddick, he's being hunted by a merc, and we learn that one of the survivors from Pitch Black sent for him. Only, it was not to kill him. The next planet on the Necromonger's list needs Riddick to kill the head man. It seems that only a Furyian, of which Riddick is a member, can defeat them.
Riddick refuses, and after the invasion starts, he is captured by the same mercs we met earlier. They take him to Crematorium, a prison where the surface of the planet is 700 degrees in the sun. We also learned that the other survivor, Jack, is imprisoned there. Riddick & Jack, now named Kira, almost escape, but a force of Necromongers show up. They take Kira, and leave Riddick for dead. Of course, he gets off and goes after the Necromongers. This leads to a final climactic battle where almost-good overcomes evil.
This was a great visual feast. Twohy knows what he's doing, and so does the cast. Aside from Diesel, we get to see Thandie Newton and Karl Urban plotting to overthrow their leader. Its nice to see Urban get dirty after his fairly good-guy role in Lord of the Rings. Judi Dench plays an Elemental who serves as narrator and is the person who wants Riddick involved. And the piece de resistance, Colm Feore, who plays the leader of the baddies. He's absolutly smashing and plays it just right in terms of hamminess. I totally bought it, and thoroughly enjoyed his performance.
The overall movie was dark, forboding, but very effective. It brought to my mind the Star Wars of the latest era. The thought occured to me that this was how the final chapter in the prequels should look. Dark, evil, and not the way the last two looked. Happy and kid-friendly. Anyway, this film is the big sci-fi winner of the summer. It has all the feel that a space opera should. And, lastly, would anyone else like to see The Rock and Diesel pit against each other in a movie? I would.
8 of 10. Well done. And they left it open ended enough for a sequel. How foresighted of them.......
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