Rating of
2/4
Pitch Black retread w/ some ideas & lots of filler
Indyfreak - wrote on 08/13/20
Less flashy than The Chronicles of Riddick, this third installment about the spacefaring antihero returns to his roots. No longer at the center of an interstellar conflict, Riddick (Diesel) is stranded again on a desolate planet and fighting hostile alien creatures. Complicating matters is the arrival of rival mercenaries hoping to collect the bounty on Riddick’s head.
Vin Diesel is as stoic and menacing as ever. The first act was the best section, where he adapts to his new environment and even befriends a hyena-wolf as a pet. It shows his resourcefulness and his more friendly side.
The other characters are mainly there as cannon fodder or to v
be assholes to Riddick. Future MCU actor Dave Bautista displays hints of the star power we’re familiar with, but like the other supporting players, he’s stuck with a mediocre script.
The various monsters do look interesting and some of the effects work. But then there’s obvious CGI and green-screen shots.
Fans of Pitch Black might like it for returning to the formula. Its brooding fatalistic attitude is a change of pace from zany lighthearted fare. But it’s dull when Riddick is not in the picture.
