Reviews (72)

SPECTACULAR BUT DISAPPOINTING
For all its generous budget, extravagant sets, explosive fireworks, almost non-stop action, and the presence of Vin Diesel, "The Chronicles of Riddick" never works. SFX can make or break a sci-fi film, but that reality often makes filmmakers think they can ignore story and characterization. They can't, and "The Chronicles of Riddick" shows why. Devoid of any heart or soul, this movie never pulls you in or connects with you in any way, so that none of the visual pyrotechnics ever mean anything. The plot is threadbare (though the Necromongers are interesting villains, especially the Lord Marshall) and the direction takes some bad turns so that even the scenes that look like they should work fall flat. Vin Diesel is by no means a bad actor, but his character is so blatantly self-absorbed, immoral, and--even worse--artificial that he never generates much viewer empathy one way or the other. Moreover, Riddick is one of those "invincible" characters who can evidently do whatever he wants when he wants, so there's not much suspense. The climax is fairly well-done and exciting, but it takes too long to get there and ultimately not much is resolved. Certainly there will be a sequel, and in fact this is a sequel (of sorts) to the low-budget and lesser-known sci-fi thriller "Pitch Black" in which Diesel's Riddick was introduced. At least that film had the sense to build its story around characterization and suspense, and while "Pitch Black's" Riddick was a formidable killer, he was never the ultra-cool superman of TCOR. If the filmmakers make the next entry in this series more like that, maybe it'll be worth seeing. Regrettably, "Chronicles" isn't.

The Chronicles of Riddick
In 2000, we were introduced to Riddick (Diesel), a criminal who can see in the dark. With the video success of "Pitch Black" and the interest of Vin Diesel, a sequel was inevitable. "Chronicles" finds Riddick five years later, and still on the run from bounty hunters. When he crosses paths with old friend Inam (David), he learns that he may be the only one who is able to stop the Necromongers, lead by Lord Marshall (Feore). The Necromongers are gearing up to destroy Inam's planet, and Riddick has landed there just in time. He soon is on his way to save Jack (Davalos), a friend from the previous movie that may be able to help him out. Throw in Dame Judi Dench, and you even have a touch of class in this sci-fi action extravaganza.

Vin Diesel could very well have a real franchise on his hands here if "Chronicles" is able to make a dent at the box office. Filled with action and amazing special effects, "Chronicles" seems poised to do just that. The ending also provides a jumping off point to further adventures, so don't be surprised to see more of Riddick in a few years.

VISUAL DELIGHT
I HAVE WATCHED PITCH BLACK MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT. RIDDICK'S CHARACTER FASCINATES AND HAUNTS ME. SO MANY OF US ARE ISOLATED AND DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SURVIVE - R.B.R. IS A MIRROR THAT MANY OF US NEED TO LOOK INTO IN ORDER TO FIND OUR OWN COURAGE TO CHANGE. CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK BRINGS US FORWARD IN TIME AND UPWARD IN SCOPE. NOW, RATHER THAN SAVING A FEW HE IS CALLED ON TO SAVE MANY. HIS ACTIONS WILL HAVE REPERCUSSIONS - LIKE RIPPLES IN A LAKE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY WILL END. NEITHER DOES HE. MY ONLY CRITISISM, WHICH HAS BEEN ECHOED FREQUENTLY, IS THAT MUCH WAS LEFT UNSAID AND UNEXPLAINED. I HAVE HIGH HOPES THAT THIS WILL BE RECITIFED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. IN ANY EVENT THE VISUAL ARTISTRY OF THIS FILM IS UNPARALLELED. THE ACTING IS DIRECT AND POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE. DIALOGUE IS LEAN, CRISP AND TO THE POINT. FX ARE FLUID. IT IS A MUST WATCH - AND AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES - TO TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT. SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF, FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!

Surprisingly fun...
I'm really glad I saw Pitch Black first because I appreciated the character of Riddick significantly more. Its one of those flicks that leaves you wanting more... and not more like I wanted a script and people who could act, and maybe some directing... but more like, I could have sat through another hour of adventuresome goodness. It was like Blade meets Star Wars... or something... True, I had a little difficulty with Jack/Kira's sudden development/growth in just 5 years, and the ending was a little... open for me (leaving obvious room for another episode), but pushing that aside (and some little holes of plot) it fully redeemed my faith in Vin Diesel as a capable action star. XXX had lead to his falling from my graces. But Riddick brought him back up to me with a smile. Judi Dench did a fabulous job as well, though I would have liked to have seen more of her... and that cool special effect... So all in all, its a great watch, see Pitch Black first, and go in expecting a PG-13 action flick and you'll be happy.

Less Than Riddickulous
Yes, parts of the movie is silly, but i still really enjoyed it. The main problem that i had with this movie was that half the time i didn't know what was going on. I only figured it out at the films conclusion. This is not a movie that is strong in storyline, but for some awesome visuals, this movie would be an excellent movie to see.

The scenes are great. They are so surreal and visually interesting that they are just breathtaking to look at. The special effects are top notch (especially the scene with the wolf things and the climactic fight at the end). The visual problem i had was with was the armor some of the main baddies. They just looked kind of silly and not the least bit intimidating.

I really enjoyed Pitch Black also and i believe that this is a role that Vin Diesel was made for. He does quite a job carrying 95% of the movie on his shoulders.

Sorry about my title. I agree, it is embarrasing. ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Beneath the surface, no one can hear you scream
Or so the tagline of this movie goes. I like to see hybrids of movie genres. This being a WW II sub film crossed with a ghost story. As one critic puts it, "U-571 Meets Poltergeist." It's a good movie, good story, outstanding performances from a cast of lesser knowns. Two scenes standout as a grand testimony to the direction of David Twohy. 1. Gossip of a female on board travels among the sailors from one end of the boat to the other. 2. A depth charge bounces slowly along the stretch of the sub before teetering on the edge...and we watch in complete suspense. As for the DVD, the transfer is crisp, the audio is incredible (as creaks and moans play an important role in the film), and the special features are good. You get a theatrical trailer, a director and actor's commentary, and a great featurette titled "The Process." A wonderful look into the filmmaking process we watch how rehearsals come to be the real deal. Running only 12 1/2 minutes, I wish it were longer. And 3 really good deleted scenes round out the package. The movie spent a minute in theaters--hopefully it will catch-on in the DVD format.

SUNK
The story, briefly, is of a US submarine, patrolling the Atlantic during the Second World War, which picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack . Thereafter, strange occurrences and mechanical failures dog the crew, apparently linked to the recent death of the sub's commander, Captain Winters. The plot is an interesting twist on the standard ghost story, but contains a lot of stuff that will only be appreciated on repeated viewings, and since this movie sets itself up from the start as a popcorn flick, most of its target audience are unlikely to make the effort.

The fact is that this movie is a disappointment to people familiar with the previous work of its writer and director. Pitch Black (dir. Twohy) was an underrated minor sci-fi classic that improved with repeated viewing; Pi (dir. Aronofsky) was an amazing first film effort, moody, quirky and confident, and obviously the product of a unique artistic vision. The film, unfortunately, seems to have combined the least talents of the writer and director, rather than the greatest. (I am not addressing the contribution of the third screenwriter Sussman, simply because I am not familiar with his work, and it seems fair to guess that as he was one of three writers, his contribution amounts to only a third of the final book.)

Who Are All These People?
How many characters are there in this film? Seems like at least thirty, and they each get at least a couple of lines, and most of them seem to be incorrigible scenery-chewers. As a result the movie is confusing, as the viewer doesn't know which characters and storylines are important, and which are just there as background. This is largely resolved at the beginning of the third act, when most of the crew is handily eliminated, but of the remainder there are still two or three actors who have not been differentiated enough for us to easily tell them apart. In a way this script seems to be merely a formal exercise in handling large numbers of characters on screen.

Stand Still, Damn It!
One thing I found initially off-putting about Pitch Black was its rapid intercutting of visually rich shots (what used to be called MTV-style, before it became the norm for movies). In that film the style eased off after a while, but in Below it seems the director is genuinely afraid of using any shot that lasts for more than one second. As a result, the viewer can _see_ what's on screen (if they don't blink), but they never get to _look_. The problem with this approach, particularly in this kind of film, is that the viewer is never allowed to be afraid of what _might_ happen on the screen, because there is _always_ something happening. There is always a jump cut, or hand-held camera work, or something jumping out at you. Instead of feeling as though you're stuck in a smelly tin can with thousands of tons of water pressing all around you, you're more likely to feel you're stuck in an editing suite with a hyperactive teenager.

Oh, "Boo" Yourself
Another reason modern thrillers and horror movies aren't scary (he said, sounding older and grumpier by the minute) is the mechanical use of "jolts" and "scares". It's like a carnival ghost ride: sure, it gets the heart pumping and produces an instinctive panic reaction, but it's purely mechanical, an automatic reaction. Your body is scared, but your mind and your emotions (unless you're pre-adolescent) remain untouched. Below is identical to other films in this genre in this respect. Things jump out or crash loudly at regular five minute intervals. Twohy actually reshot one of the earlier scenes because he felt it needed an extra scare. So now the cupboard looks spooky, and then some clothes fall out if it, but at this point in the film we don't even know that there's anything to be afraid of, so why should we care? More to the point, why should something jumping out at me in the final climactic sequence have any impact on me at all, when things have been going bang for no reason all the way through?

I could write a long essay comparing Below with the recently released Starship Troopers 2, which explores similar situations and themes. The latter film, with a fraction of the budget, is the more successful, because it largely avoids the problems examined above. I suppose the criticisms I've made could be applied to hundreds of movies made in the last decade, and perhaps I'm a fool to expect anything exceptional, but, in terms of directing and writing talent, this movie had the potential to be much more than the usual collection of trailer moments. Can Twohy escape from the "Hollywood slick" style in his next project? Would this film have been better if Twohy and Aronofsky had swapped roles? One thing I'll give them credit for, they didn't resort to the "last gasp" shock at the end - anyone else would've had Cpt. Winters suddenly launch himself out of the sea at the end of the last reel, just so the hero could put a couple of bullets in him or set him on fire or something... Small mercies.

3 stars for technical achievement.

(End note: When Claire Paige snoops around the captain's cabin, was I the only one who said "Hey, she must be the Nazi spy they're looking for"? And what _was_ all that stuff about the hydrogen? I didn't follow that at all.)

Mind your rudder!
Here is an original and fresh venue on which to tell a ghost story: a WWII submarine. Submarines are already a bit spooky in the first place, by their very nature. The present DVD takes all the "regular" bizarre traits of a sub and takes them all to a whole new level.

The story centers around an American sub that picks up 3 British persons, all of them survivors of the sinking of their ship. From there on, things seem to continually go from bad to worse for the sub & her crew. A strange sequence of events come to pass. Some of them are explainable & some of them not so explainable.

The set design & direction does a good job of depicting the submarine as an underwater tomb. Everything about the film is nice and eerie. Although I've seen plenty of submarine movies, none of them have the chilling edge that this one has.

One of the most annoying motifs of horror / supernatural films is at the end of the movie, when things seem to be "normal," there is always the hint of the return of the evil / supernatural entity. Thankfully, this present DVD omits that everpresent and aggravating trend. At the end of this film we have 100% closure, which is in fact a breath-of-fresh-air in the horror genre.

If you're a fan of submarine movies and / or ghost stories, this is a unique film that's just for you. After watching it, one thing becomes remarkably clear: fighting the Germans in World War II was tough enough without having to deal with underwater apparitions on top of everything else!

Not great, but not bad.
The acting and direction in this flick are top-shelf. Good stuff.

My only hang-ups were the story and script, which were definitely suspenseful and even creepy in places but kinda flat and a little unoriginal. The whole "A mutiny occurred somehow and now we have to determine which officers were right and which ones were wrong" thing has been done in countless nautically-themed films, military and otherwise. In this film they put a ghost story spin on that plot concept, but it doesn't really help. It's all been done before.

The thing that makes this flick's story engrossing is the ghost story creepiness, and the suspense that builds up as you wonder what really happened with the Captain and who's ghost it is that's causing all the wierd stuff to happen.

I must say again: the acting and the direction are excellent. This is a VERY well-directed film. The editing is pretty good, too.

Almost snuck by...
I was lucky enough to notice an advanced screening review for this film online, so I was able to catch it in the theater when it was released. But even while actively looking for it, I still almost missed it! It's distributer, Dimension, a subsidiary of Mirimax, just plopped it out with virtually NO advertisement at all. The only TV commercial I saw was while visiting Dallas, with no ads ever seen in my home city of Houston. Still, my persistence paid off and I did see it on the big screen, thinking what a shame it was that this unique and high quality film should receive such shoddy treatment from Dimension. This could have been a sleeper hit, had they advertised just a bit more. I strongly recommend Below as a cross-genre success, with superb sub action a la Das Boot, and sublime creepiness a la 1963's The Haunting. If you like it, do David Twohy a favor and turn on others to this fine gem! Everyone I've had see it is pleasantly surprised with it. ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Reviews (11)

missed this one
I want to award four stars because it was a good, solid story and refreshing to see a time-travel movie I had missed. But it is dated, effects are comparable to a late 80's low to mid-level production value and there is a hole or two. Ain't perfect, but by no means a bad movie. My girlfriend made it through no problem. When I first put it in, I immediately said this is going to be dated sci-fi= your not going to like. But she enjoyed it. Not really "Grand", but watchable. As a sci-fan, I was beholden to check this out and was not disappointed, but actually pretty impressed.

The story: A group of time traveling tourists come back to see a disaster unfold in a small town where Jeff Daniels' character has a small Inn (with a perfect view). The story is not as cut-and-dry as you might think though, he does of course figure it out and try to stop it from happening, but there are some interesting twists that make this a cut above the average. rent.

The Bygoners
I loved the Sci-fi film, "Pitch Black" and so when I saw another, older Sci-fi film from the same director (David Twohy), well, I just had to see it. Unfortunately, "Grand Tour: Disaster in Time" deprives us of Vin Diesel, and gives us Jeff Daniels, instead, in the lead role.

Widower Ben Wilson (Jeff Daniels) is in the process of renovating an old mansion located on the outskirts of town when a busload of bizarre people arrive and offer any amount of money to stay there for three days. Now considering that the house is a total mess (including no doors on the rooms), the strangers' strong desire to stay in the mansion seems more than a bit fishy.

"Grand Tour: Disaster in Time" is a time travel film, and it offers some interesting new variations on that theme. Unfortunately, the film suffers from bad acting (the travelers), bad costumes (the travelers once again), and a sentimental sub-plot. The words "low-budget" screamed out at me occasionally, and low budget is one thing that really hampers a time travel film. The end result is a cheesy film that has a 60s-feel to it, awful make-up (Jeff Daniels looks as though someone stuck a glob of blue paint across his eye), bad hairstyles, and pathetic costumes (we all know a mask when we see one). The plot also needs some serious rehashing as the initial time travel idea is stretched beyond the interesting and moves into foolishness--displacedhuman

When you try to improve on an original ...
This film is a take on C L Moore's classic short story "Vintage Season". In "Vintage Season" time travellers from a distant future visit the present. Just as wine connosieurs savour a particular "year" so does these travellers seek out a specific year noteworthy for its unexpected descent into tragedy. Like that last Bank Holiday in August 1914, before the Great War came. The travellers are totally dispassionate about the events they witness, they are just as happy visiting the coronation of Charlemagne as they at witnessing the collapse of a modern civilisation. Reading the story conveys the impression that time travellers would view any world they visit as sort of an open air zoo or theme park. The story is disturbing, particularly as it is written from the persceptive of a man who only gradually realises that his visitors are the equivalent of racecourse spectators waiting for a crash, and that his world is doomed to collapse. The travellers are venal, petty and devoid of any empathy for the suffering of others.

Whilst copying several of the plot elements from the original story the film burdens Jeff Daniels with an unbelievable soap opera-ish tragedy in his past. The tragedy is supposed to invigourate Mr Daniels into trying to change the future, even though he can't change the past. The narration is weak, and the "action" by Daniels lacks any dramatic tension. Daniels is an actor too associated with light roles to bring much dramatic tension or detremination to the role. A happy ending when the future has already been written ? A great story looses all its strength when watered down to this anaemic film.

Unfortunately this film, like the latest remake of the "Time Machine" just doesn't do justice to its antecedents.

Grand Tour "Disaster in Time" is a great movie
I appreciate your prompt service. Everything went without a hitch.

Exellent but not well known film .
Not well known but very good and solid sci-fi film on the time travel . By director David N. Twohy ( The Arrival , Pitch Black ) and starring Jeff Daniels .
Jeff Daniels playing an owner of small motel/hotel in a small town in the mid America . He cann't forgive himself for running away from the site of the accident few years back . The accident which took his wife's life . His father in law , a judge in this town , cann't forgive him eather and trying to take his granddaughter away from him . At the same time a group of very strange tourists came in town and checked in J.Daniels's hotel .They way too strange and even weard . Keep talking about some "spectical", and later we found out that they are the tourists ... in time . They travel to se all the biggest disasters of the 20th century . And the last one should come to this little town ...
Cann't tell you more ... you have to se it yourself . But after slow start this film developes very fast and has more than anough twists and turns to deserve a very solid 5 stars . ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Amazon.com

Calling this 1996 science fiction thriller "a glorified B movie," isn't a criticism. Writer-director David Twohy managed to get interesting material on the screen despite a limited budget, and the film is just believable enough to be satisfying as a tale of paranoid conspiracy. If you can ignore the hokey parts and accept Charlie Sheen as noted radio astronomer Zane Ziminski, you'll get thoroughly involved when the reception of an alien radio signal leads him to Mexico and to a huge underground power plant operated by aliens bent on the eventual takeover of Earth. Ron Silver is suitably chilling as the astronomer's boss, whose real identity is more horrifying than Ziminski ever imagined. The underground alien lair is memorably creepy, and Twohy's film is just smart enough to qualify as more than a guilty pleasure. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (72)

SPECTACULAR BUT DISAPPOINTING
For all its generous budget, extravagant sets, explosive fireworks, almost non-stop action, and the presence of Vin Diesel, "The Chronicles of Riddick" never works. SFX can make or break a sci-fi film, but that reality often makes filmmakers think they can ignore story and characterization. They can't, and "The Chronicles of Riddick" shows why. Devoid of any heart or soul, this movie never pulls you in or connects with you in any way, so that none of the visual pyrotechnics ever mean anything. The plot is threadbare (though the Necromongers are interesting villains, especially the Lord Marshall) and the direction takes some bad turns so that even the scenes that look like they should work fall flat. Vin Diesel is by no means a bad actor, but his character is so blatantly self-absorbed, immoral, and--even worse--artificial that he never generates much viewer empathy one way or the other. Moreover, Riddick is one of those "invincible" characters who can evidently do whatever he wants when he wants, so there's not much suspense. The climax is fairly well-done and exciting, but it takes too long to get there and ultimately not much is resolved. Certainly there will be a sequel, and in fact this is a sequel (of sorts) to the low-budget and lesser-known sci-fi thriller "Pitch Black" in which Diesel's Riddick was introduced. At least that film had the sense to build its story around characterization and suspense, and while "Pitch Black's" Riddick was a formidable killer, he was never the ultra-cool superman of TCOR. If the filmmakers make the next entry in this series more like that, maybe it'll be worth seeing. Regrettably, "Chronicles" isn't.

The Chronicles of Riddick
In 2000, we were introduced to Riddick (Diesel), a criminal who can see in the dark. With the video success of "Pitch Black" and the interest of Vin Diesel, a sequel was inevitable. "Chronicles" finds Riddick five years later, and still on the run from bounty hunters. When he crosses paths with old friend Inam (David), he learns that he may be the only one who is able to stop the Necromongers, lead by Lord Marshall (Feore). The Necromongers are gearing up to destroy Inam's planet, and Riddick has landed there just in time. He soon is on his way to save Jack (Davalos), a friend from the previous movie that may be able to help him out. Throw in Dame Judi Dench, and you even have a touch of class in this sci-fi action extravaganza.

Vin Diesel could very well have a real franchise on his hands here if "Chronicles" is able to make a dent at the box office. Filled with action and amazing special effects, "Chronicles" seems poised to do just that. The ending also provides a jumping off point to further adventures, so don't be surprised to see more of Riddick in a few years.

VISUAL DELIGHT
I HAVE WATCHED PITCH BLACK MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT. RIDDICK'S CHARACTER FASCINATES AND HAUNTS ME. SO MANY OF US ARE ISOLATED AND DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SURVIVE - R.B.R. IS A MIRROR THAT MANY OF US NEED TO LOOK INTO IN ORDER TO FIND OUR OWN COURAGE TO CHANGE. CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK BRINGS US FORWARD IN TIME AND UPWARD IN SCOPE. NOW, RATHER THAN SAVING A FEW HE IS CALLED ON TO SAVE MANY. HIS ACTIONS WILL HAVE REPERCUSSIONS - LIKE RIPPLES IN A LAKE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY WILL END. NEITHER DOES HE. MY ONLY CRITISISM, WHICH HAS BEEN ECHOED FREQUENTLY, IS THAT MUCH WAS LEFT UNSAID AND UNEXPLAINED. I HAVE HIGH HOPES THAT THIS WILL BE RECITIFED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. IN ANY EVENT THE VISUAL ARTISTRY OF THIS FILM IS UNPARALLELED. THE ACTING IS DIRECT AND POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE. DIALOGUE IS LEAN, CRISP AND TO THE POINT. FX ARE FLUID. IT IS A MUST WATCH - AND AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES - TO TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT. SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF, FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!

Surprisingly fun...
I'm really glad I saw Pitch Black first because I appreciated the character of Riddick significantly more. Its one of those flicks that leaves you wanting more... and not more like I wanted a script and people who could act, and maybe some directing... but more like, I could have sat through another hour of adventuresome goodness. It was like Blade meets Star Wars... or something... True, I had a little difficulty with Jack/Kira's sudden development/growth in just 5 years, and the ending was a little... open for me (leaving obvious room for another episode), but pushing that aside (and some little holes of plot) it fully redeemed my faith in Vin Diesel as a capable action star. XXX had lead to his falling from my graces. But Riddick brought him back up to me with a smile. Judi Dench did a fabulous job as well, though I would have liked to have seen more of her... and that cool special effect... So all in all, its a great watch, see Pitch Black first, and go in expecting a PG-13 action flick and you'll be happy.

Less Than Riddickulous
Yes, parts of the movie is silly, but i still really enjoyed it. The main problem that i had with this movie was that half the time i didn't know what was going on. I only figured it out at the films conclusion. This is not a movie that is strong in storyline, but for some awesome visuals, this movie would be an excellent movie to see.

The scenes are great. They are so surreal and visually interesting that they are just breathtaking to look at. The special effects are top notch (especially the scene with the wolf things and the climactic fight at the end). The visual problem i had was with was the armor some of the main baddies. They just looked kind of silly and not the least bit intimidating.

I really enjoyed Pitch Black also and i believe that this is a role that Vin Diesel was made for. He does quite a job carrying 95% of the movie on his shoulders.

Sorry about my title. I agree, it is embarrasing. ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Reviews (426)

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

leaves room for error
Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse

Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David.

First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great.

Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures.

DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read.

All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it.

1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.

muddled and dark.........
When I saw the previews recently of The Chronicles of Riddick,
I thought it might be interesting to see Pitch Black. Wrong.
From the first part of it, it looked cheap. That was my first
clue and from there it goes downhill. I frankly think Diesel
was much better in Fast and Furious than he was in this.
But I must say that he alone was the incentive to last as long
as I did. As far as the monsters, that go bump in the night,
anybody who compares them to those in Alien must be blind and
deaf......I found them interesting but definitely not scary, or maybe you needed to be there to see them in person? They reminded me in a way of the raptors from Jarassic Park particularly when they are congregating on the launch pad at the end of the film.
Total waste of time.
Perhaps 'Chronicles' will be different?
It definitely looks a bit more polished.

Just Excellent!
Sci/fi horror stories. You really don't expect such charatcer development in these types of movies, but this one does an excellent job, from start to finish. This is definitely not a B movie, not by a long shot.

You find out for example that the bad guy is not always the bad guy. In the crash sequence after all the dust settles and Johns finds an empty cryo sleep tube and his gun missing, it's found on the floor under a dangling Riddick. Now if Riddick was such a bloodthirsty bad guy, he would have taken the gun and shot Johns and been done with it. This is the second interesting development in the film, and gives you a nice window into the character of Riddick.

The first interesting development is the moral dilemna during the landing/crash of the ship, in which Fry tries to eject all the passengers.

The third interesting development is the assuming of Riddick's guilt in the death of Zeke, for which no one has apologized yet.

I've rarely seen such a depth in chracters in the scifi genre. All of the characters go through some deep changes under the pressure of the struggle to survive. Check out the expressions on the faces of the actors, and the dialogue, excellent job, without overacting or forcing.

The special effects are good, and they don't overwhelm the story. The plot is good, and the suspense stays with you up until the very end, building and ebbing throughout the film.

I wish they'd have had a bigger budget for this one, but if they had they'd have probably overloaded on the special effects.

Overall, I would give this an excellent rating as a movie buff.

Pitch Black
Awesome Movie. MUst Have.Vin Diesel Is Awesome. PERFECT MOVIE ... Read more

Reviews (72)

SPECTACULAR BUT DISAPPOINTING
For all its generous budget, extravagant sets, explosive fireworks, almost non-stop action, and the presence of Vin Diesel, "The Chronicles of Riddick" never works. SFX can make or break a sci-fi film, but that reality often makes filmmakers think they can ignore story and characterization. They can't, and "The Chronicles of Riddick" shows why. Devoid of any heart or soul, this movie never pulls you in or connects with you in any way, so that none of the visual pyrotechnics ever mean anything. The plot is threadbare (though the Necromongers are interesting villains, especially the Lord Marshall) and the direction takes some bad turns so that even the scenes that look like they should work fall flat. Vin Diesel is by no means a bad actor, but his character is so blatantly self-absorbed, immoral, and--even worse--artificial that he never generates much viewer empathy one way or the other. Moreover, Riddick is one of those "invincible" characters who can evidently do whatever he wants when he wants, so there's not much suspense. The climax is fairly well-done and exciting, but it takes too long to get there and ultimately not much is resolved. Certainly there will be a sequel, and in fact this is a sequel (of sorts) to the low-budget and lesser-known sci-fi thriller "Pitch Black" in which Diesel's Riddick was introduced. At least that film had the sense to build its story around characterization and suspense, and while "Pitch Black's" Riddick was a formidable killer, he was never the ultra-cool superman of TCOR. If the filmmakers make the next entry in this series more like that, maybe it'll be worth seeing. Regrettably, "Chronicles" isn't.

The Chronicles of Riddick
In 2000, we were introduced to Riddick (Diesel), a criminal who can see in the dark. With the video success of "Pitch Black" and the interest of Vin Diesel, a sequel was inevitable. "Chronicles" finds Riddick five years later, and still on the run from bounty hunters. When he crosses paths with old friend Inam (David), he learns that he may be the only one who is able to stop the Necromongers, lead by Lord Marshall (Feore). The Necromongers are gearing up to destroy Inam's planet, and Riddick has landed there just in time. He soon is on his way to save Jack (Davalos), a friend from the previous movie that may be able to help him out. Throw in Dame Judi Dench, and you even have a touch of class in this sci-fi action extravaganza.

Vin Diesel could very well have a real franchise on his hands here if "Chronicles" is able to make a dent at the box office. Filled with action and amazing special effects, "Chronicles" seems poised to do just that. The ending also provides a jumping off point to further adventures, so don't be surprised to see more of Riddick in a few years.

VISUAL DELIGHT
I HAVE WATCHED PITCH BLACK MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT. RIDDICK'S CHARACTER FASCINATES AND HAUNTS ME. SO MANY OF US ARE ISOLATED AND DOING WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO SURVIVE - R.B.R. IS A MIRROR THAT MANY OF US NEED TO LOOK INTO IN ORDER TO FIND OUR OWN COURAGE TO CHANGE. CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK BRINGS US FORWARD IN TIME AND UPWARD IN SCOPE. NOW, RATHER THAN SAVING A FEW HE IS CALLED ON TO SAVE MANY. HIS ACTIONS WILL HAVE REPERCUSSIONS - LIKE RIPPLES IN A LAKE. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY WILL END. NEITHER DOES HE. MY ONLY CRITISISM, WHICH HAS BEEN ECHOED FREQUENTLY, IS THAT MUCH WAS LEFT UNSAID AND UNEXPLAINED. I HAVE HIGH HOPES THAT THIS WILL BE RECITIFED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER. IN ANY EVENT THE VISUAL ARTISTRY OF THIS FILM IS UNPARALLELED. THE ACTING IS DIRECT AND POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE. DIALOGUE IS LEAN, CRISP AND TO THE POINT. FX ARE FLUID. IT IS A MUST WATCH - AND AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES - TO TRULY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO IT. SUSPEND YOUR DISBELIEF, FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS AND ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!

Surprisingly fun...
I'm really glad I saw Pitch Black first because I appreciated the character of Riddick significantly more. Its one of those flicks that leaves you wanting more... and not more like I wanted a script and people who could act, and maybe some directing... but more like, I could have sat through another hour of adventuresome goodness. It was like Blade meets Star Wars... or something... True, I had a little difficulty with Jack/Kira's sudden development/growth in just 5 years, and the ending was a little... open for me (leaving obvious room for another episode), but pushing that aside (and some little holes of plot) it fully redeemed my faith in Vin Diesel as a capable action star. XXX had lead to his falling from my graces. But Riddick brought him back up to me with a smile. Judi Dench did a fabulous job as well, though I would have liked to have seen more of her... and that cool special effect... So all in all, its a great watch, see Pitch Black first, and go in expecting a PG-13 action flick and you'll be happy.

Less Than Riddickulous
Yes, parts of the movie is silly, but i still really enjoyed it. The main problem that i had with this movie was that half the time i didn't know what was going on. I only figured it out at the films conclusion. This is not a movie that is strong in storyline, but for some awesome visuals, this movie would be an excellent movie to see.

The scenes are great. They are so surreal and visually interesting that they are just breathtaking to look at. The special effects are top notch (especially the scene with the wolf things and the climactic fight at the end). The visual problem i had was with was the armor some of the main baddies. They just looked kind of silly and not the least bit intimidating.

I really enjoyed Pitch Black also and i believe that this is a role that Vin Diesel was made for. He does quite a job carrying 95% of the movie on his shoulders.

Sorry about my title. I agree, it is embarrasing. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Where's The PLOT?
Arrival was well constructed and had a plot or at least a basic plot. The acting was very well done. Now; as for Arrival 2, it would have been best for them (writers)to have remained back in another galaxy far far far away. Patrick has done much better work in the past. The visual effects were well (the scene where Patrick attempts to smash through the locked glass doors has a sense of humor. The glass door had obviously been scared! The glass door is cracked and ready to shatter before it is assaulted by Patrick's panicking throw. (Film editors miss) The writer could learn a little something from successful screen writers of such films as Alien and it's follow ups or the nightmare on Elm streets (excluding part 2 the worst). Keeping with the original story line and still able to make it a completely separate individualized movie worthy of its predecessor. Well better luck next time if you dare. It really had potential of becoming a brilliant successor. Write and learn.

Arrival is very good sci-fi; Arrival II on the other hand...
Arrival is one of the better sci-fi films of the 90's and deserves 4 stars in my book, but consider the low-budget sequel, Arrival II, a forgettable bonus.

The Arrival offers up an engrossing, paranoid and believable storyline involving aliens among us who have sinister plans for the planet, at our expense. Charlie Sheen, despite being relegated to that merely-average-actor purgatory, does a decent job as a radio astronomer working for JPL who discovers an unearthly radio message which leads him to Mexico to uncover the strange secret behind a series of mysterious power plants cropping up in third world countries, and their connection with accelerated global warming. Directory David Twohy does an admirable job with the special effects considering the low budget. This film got an undeserved bad rap. More realistic than that mindless "Armageddon"/"ID4" Hollywood dross. As for Arrival II, well, it pretty much destroys what could have been a worthy sequel.

An interesting sci fi thriller and a disappointing sequel
I think they put "The Arrival" (4 stars) and "Arrival 2" (2 stars) on the two sides of the same DVD because they knew that was the only way anybody would ever get around to watching the lame sequel to a pretty good science fiction film. In "The Arrival" writer-director David Twohy comes up with an interesting culprit to explain global warming. The 1996 thriller begins with scientist Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse) finding something in Antarctica that should not be there. Meanwhile, the hero of our tale, radio astronomer named Zane Zaminski (Charlie Sheen with a goatee), is working on a S.E.T.I. project by looking where nobody in their right mind should be looking, in the FM band. To his surprise and the shock of his colleague, Cal (Richard Schiff), he finds something there. This could be the biggest scientific discovery of the 20th century by Zane's boss, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), not only refuses to get excited, he destroys the evidence. Then some strange guys in suits show up to make sure they have all of the evidence.

Clearly Zane has discovered something he is not supposed to know about. But part of the problem is that he has no clue what he has stumbled upon or why it should get people killed. The other key part of the problem is that Zane is now unemployed and no longer has access to a gigantic radio telescope. So he has to, basically, build one, which is how "The Arrival" lets you know that Twohy has paid attention to the science of the story (okay, I know nothing about science and this could all be nonsense, but there is an effort being made to connect the scientific dots). Zane effective does build his own radio telescope, and if this new phase of his old obsession has made him lose his girl friend, Char (Teri Polo), at least he has Kiki (Tony T. Johnson) the smart street kid who lives next door to take up the slack.

Of course the audience gets to figure things out a bit before Zane does, but then he is distracted by the most ingenious attempts to kill someone is bath tub I have seen since "Final Destination." I checked out this film because I saw one of Twohy's more recent efforts, "Below," and again he shows some creativity in presenting the conventions of the science fiction-thriller genre. Sheen's performance is an interesting mix of paranoia and anger, sometimes switching back and forth between the two in an instance if somebody looks at him funny or is just funny looking. I did not bite on the obvious red herring as to who the ultimate villain was in "The Arrival," but I did not see the final revelation coming either, so that is a good thing. Ultimately, I did not find "The Arrival" to be a classic science fiction film, but for a modern version of the "B" movie it is very good.

Unfortunately the 1998 sequel, "The Arrival II," makes it clear from the start that things are going to go awry. We get a news report that Zane has died under mysterious circumstances while hiding out with the Eskimos. Every since Newt and Hicks were killed during the opening credits of "Aliens3" I have a visceral reaction to similar attempts to clear the decks for the new characters in the new film. However, it turns out that before his death Zane sent packets of information about the alien menace to a few key individuals, including his half-brother, Jack Addison (Patrick Muldoon). He has to be a blood relation because that makes things personal as opposed to merely being concerned with the fate of the world. Those who received the packages from beyond gathered in a meat locker, where Jack meets reporter Bridget Riordan (Jane Sibbett), and Professor Nelson Zarcoff (Michael Sarrazin). It looks like we might be assembling a team of intelligent people in key positions who will be able to work together to stop the menace. But, no, this is going to be primarily a chase film.

The biggest problem with this sequel is that once you understand what the aliens can do and where this script has them embedded in the government, then it is really game over, they win, hope you use really heavy sun screen in the world to come. But on a more intimate level as much as the first film plays fair with the science and the audience, this one insists on yanking our chains. In the first film there is a wonderful sequence where Zane, denied access to radio telescopes, creates his own by hooking up neighborhood satellite dishes that he can use in the dead of night when their owners are asleep. This might be nonsense, but in the context of the film it works. In this one Jack is a computer hacker who can work his magic on the alien computer when in "reality" he would be lucky to figure out how to turn it on let alone do significant programming.

This was Mark David Perry's first script and given the detail and flair of Twohy's original what we have here just pales in comparison, even with a gratuitous nude scene thrown into the mix early on. There is not much the actors can do with this mess and there are few times in the film when they come close to catching the appropriate emotions of the moment since the script keeps insisting they be a step behin