'Riddick' A Review

Riddick is a scifi horror adventure movie, the third installment in the odyssey of Vin Diesel's Riddick. This film forgoes the scope, the stars, and the budget of The Chronicles of Riddick and goes back to the original Pitch Black. So much so it basically repeats the plot. Riddick is stranded on a barren uninhabited planet and sets off a beacon to lure in mercenaries to steal a ship from. Of course rain on this dry planet brings out a host of terrible creatures which put the hunting of Riddick on hold.

There is a certain air of pretentiousness about the movie, it's unclear if Diesel and the cast realize this installment teeters throughout on the verge of camp. The planet in the movie is constantly sunny and bright taking away the dark sinister image of Riddick that we have come to love. Easily seen, contrasted against bright lighting, Diesel is no where near as tough as his earlier incarnations as Riddick and his over-the-top performance too clear.

The first half an hour of the movie is only Riddick and a CGI alien dog surviving on this unforgiving planet. As interesting, exciting, and surprisingly touching as the beginning is it doesn't have much bearing on the remaining ninety minutes. Once two ships arrive with a host of mercenaries the story goes into exceptionally well trodden territory. The only actor who distinguishes themselves from the rabble of cliches is Katee Sackhoff (aka Starbuck) as Dahl bringing a little life into the tough lesbian stereotype.

The reason Pitch Black was such a great film was because Diesel was able to capture a very unique humorous sinister anti-hero sort of charm which is almost non-existent in Riddick.

Diesel offers a meta-observation during the initial voiceover of the movie. As Riddick he admits he's lost his edge.

Rent It.