Pitch Black 2: The Chronicles of Riddick Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)June 17th, 2004
"Riddick" – Better Left Alone
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
On the bright side, this is the kind of role that Vin Diesel was born to play. In "The Chronicles of Riddick," he's a rugged, menacing, survivalist. Put this guy on Celebrity Survivor or Celebrity Fear Factor, and he's sure to win top prize. His attitude, which could be described as a don't-mess-with-me-or-you'll-feel-pain combined with I'd-rather-be-left-alone, provides the kind of anti-hero that epic adventures need to liven things up. It's like the Achilles in "Troy" or the Captain Jack Black in "Pirates of the Caribbean." Vin Diesel's Riddick is an enigmatic wild card.
Apparently, as the narrator explains, Riddick is one of the last members of his race. They are known to possess incredible resolve, fortitude, and strength. In the opening sequence, four bounty hunters are sent to collect him. He smugly says in disbelief that sending only four is an insult. And then he quickly dispatches each of them.
Riddick works best in small areas and against a small handful of foes. Because of this fact, 2000's "Pitch Black," the film that introduced Riddick, was a more taut film. In fact, the best part of "Chronicles" happens outside the framework of the central plot. In this section, Riddick becomes a prisoner within the jail facilities of planet Crematoria. It is an inescapable Hell where demon-like hounds are set upon prisoners. Meanwhile, the outside temperatures can warm to a comfortable 700 degrees F whenever the sun races across the barren landscape. So, it's quite a suspenseful segment when Riddick decides to make a brazen jail break and must outrun the oncoming sunlight and its infernal consequences. This fine sequence is what helps this film to a marginal recommendation.
When he's thrust into a war, however, between the denizens of planet Helion Prime and a warring, fascist race known as Necromongers, led my Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), he is thrown out of his element. As a loner, we find it terribly improbable that Riddick can single-handedly turn away the entire Necromonger armies.
The story introduces several elements as possibly good setups, but nothing ever truly materializes. There is a young daughter who seems destined to be involved in the climax. But she kind of disappears. Another oddity is Aereon (Judi Dench), a being of the elemental plane, who is introduced with the kind of detailed special effects that suggest that she will do something great to aid the cause. But, her purpose is never explored and she winds up being nothing more than an interesting special effect. There is also a conspiracy brewing within the high command. Yet, this added plot twist doesn't make this film anything more than it already is.
"The Chronicles of Riddick," while somewhat fun to watch, seems to lose its direction the further it goes along. Even the filmmakers seem to tinker with the essence of Riddick. He is meant to be an outcast. He is not supposed to be admirable although his fearlessness is impressive; he is not supposed to be a leader, although people will follow his commands; and he is not supposed to be noble as his actions are dictated by his selfish needs. Thus, the end clearly goes against the Riddick dogma, and you feel that he has been converted in a way that he so struggled to avoid throughout the film. The film has its good moments, but ultimately feels a bit blurred as much of the potential is never quite realized.
Grade: B-
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 2 out of 3
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