"The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004)

A couple weeks back I got the chance to see "Pitch Black", which had it's pluses and minuses. But overall it was just a 'meh' of a movie. But that said, I still loved Vin Diseal's character, Riddick. He was the main attraction of the last movie and to see more movies with that character in it would be neat. However, I still didn't have much expectations going in, with the last one being so average and usually the sequels being as good as the first movie. Hopefully this movie can prove me wrong and be as good (and really hoping that it's better) than the first movie. This is my look into "The Chronicles of Riddick"



Five years after "Pitch Black", Riddick is now a marked man with a bounty of $1.5 millions over his head. While trying to stay alive and away from all the mercenaries that are trying to get him, he ends up getting between a battle. Lord Marshall (Colm Feore) leads the Necromorphs, whose soul goal is to convert the entire universe into his faith and lead them into the underverse. Now if any race denies to be converted they get a second choice, death. Aereon (Judi Dench) is the only one that can help Riddick out, for his reward of defeating the Necromorphs she will offer him freedom and bounty off his head. That sounds like a deal right? I mean what does he have left to lose.

Riddick is back, now with a companion, Kyra.

What's nice is that they expand the universe and the fiction behind it. The movie brings in and explains the race of Elemental, Necromongers and further explains Riddick's race as a Furyan. Sadly they don't get too deep into the back story but it's interesting nonetheless. Additionally, they bring up the dark parellel universe of the underverse. Although the movie never shows what the underverse looks like, hints are given and the imagination can take care of the rest.

To accompany this expanded universe, there are plenty of computer generated shots of the worlds and it is wonderful. The whole movie looks good, there are a lot of eye candy from solar eclipses to blown up views of a war stricken world. It all looks so good. My favourite has to be the shot of the rising sun over the planet of Crematoria. It's just beautiful and really captures the epic feeling the movie tries to convey. But the beauty doesn't stop there, the wardrobe and costume design isn't lacking at all. From the cold metallic look of the Necromongers to the warm ancient middle east theme of Helion Prime. It's all just wonderfully done.

My eyes can't absorb all the awesome.

Thankfully, Riddick is still badass just like the first movie. But Lord Marshal's right hand man, Vaako (Karl Urban) is nothing special. He just gets mad a lot and pussy whipped by his wife Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton), who  is amazing. She really makes herself known when she is on screen, being the controlling force of her husband. There is a sort of Macbeth like theme when it comes to her, Vaako and Lord Marshal. Surprisingly, Jack is back from Pitch Black, but changed her name to Kyra and has her own story. She wasn't too important in the last movie, but she makes a wonderful companion to a man that needs no one.

The action does not take a step back at all, there is a lot of combat sequences with Riddick. He really shows why he hasn't been caught yet. His sneaks around, and makes his appearance with his fist to your face. All his fight scenes show why Vin Diseal is such a great action star. He isn't alone, Kyra also dishes out her share of the punches and boy can she move! The two make a great fighting duo leading to some of the best partner fights this side of the universe.

The movie still looks great!

I was actually suprrised how much I liked the movie, the pacing is great, there is plenty of action and I can't stop talking about how great this movie looks. I love computer generated shots of galaxies, planets and all that hoo-ha. I am actually surprised the IMDB rating for the movie is only a 6.5/10, I thought this movie would be welcomed by more people. Really shows how people's opinions can skew off from the masses. Although the story of the movie is sort of linear and can be condensed to: Riddick runs, gets caught, escapes, gets caught again and beats the boss. It can be forgiven with the movie forcefully shoving epic shots and a wonderful fictional universe. Man, they should really make a video game with this fiction, it could be really good. Pfft, what am I saying, all video games from a movie idea are all bad.