The Chronicles of Riddick
Directed by: David
Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel (Riddick); Imam (Keith David);
Ariel (Dame Judy Dench); also starring Colm Feore, Thandie Newton,
Karl Urban
Review by : Matt McConnel
I was thrilled when I learned that Vin Diesel had secured
the money to make a follow up to Pitch Black. The character
of Riddick is one of those that, like Wolverine, become bigger
than the story that tries to contain them. Such is the case
with Chronicles of Riddick.
The story
begins with Riddick on the run from a band of mercenaries
that want the lusciously large bounty on his head. After dealing
with them, he seeks out one of the two other survivors from
Pitch Black, Imam played by the incomparable Keith
David. Riddick learns two things, first that 'Jack' (the other
survivor) apparently idolized him far too much and has now
gotten herself into prison and second, that a mysterious sect
known as the Necromongers are sweeping the universe in, as
their name suggests, an orgy of violence and death. We are
also hit with something of a mental transmission grinding
plot bomb. Riddick isn't human, or at least what is often
called 'baseline human' in much sci-fi. He is Furian, a humanoid
race feared for by the Necromongers for their ferocity, martial
prowess and don't-fuck-with-me attitude.
If you
have not deduced already, a film starring Vin Diesel with
an intro voice over by Dame Judy Dench, and the acting talents
of Keith David, Colm Feore, and Karl Urban contains some serious
screen charisma. This movie is actor and director driven;
the script is alright, but frankly not stellar and while the
soundtrack has some nice ties back to Pitch Black,
it really is nothing special on its own. David does a marvelous
job reprising his role as Imam and Dame Dench is suitably
cryptic in her role as the insubstantial elemental Ariel.
Karl Urban unfortunately just plays a brooding and gothic
Eomer. Unless the director told him 'I want you to just be
a Goth version of Eomer' he didn't really reach for the role.
I've made
several references to Pitch Black, but this really
is not very fair. Pitch Black was designed to be in
the genre of the Alien franchise. Chronicles falls
more into the Dune and Star Wars realm of space
opera with action. The marriage of the two proves to be a
little rocky. The intimate Pitch Black suddenly gets
caught up in a larger universe that is not entirely congruous.
The talk of martially superior beings, mysterious and insubstantial
guides, a dark empire, and the reluctant hero (anti though
he may be) is enough to make Frank Herbert revolve in his
grave and George Lucas scream for blood. Of course, these
are the same people who managed to dodge the twin bullets
of James Cameron and Ridley Scott so…
I had
been told this was a two-parter and that the second part involves
Riddick going to the Underverse (the Necromonger's twisted...
Well, see the movie) but with the ending as it is, and no
mention of a further Riddick project on IMdB... The up side
of this was seeing that he was slated to play the title role
in Hannibal next year. The story begs completion, but there
was not much of a cliffhanger, just a stopping. I suppose
it is similar to Pitch Black in that regard. The ending
is very similar to Conan and I will leave it at that, because
to say more would be to ruin the ending completely. It is
somewhat formulaic, but it is perfectly justified with all
the crosses, double crosses, and plans within plans.
On its
own Chronicles works. It has all the action and great
look that one can expect from a big budget sci-fi movie that
obviously had a lot of thought and care put into it. As the
sequel to Pitch Black, I am not so sure. I think what
is needed is something more out of the animation boys, they
have one installment (Dark Fury) that takes place right
after Pitch Black, but it's only 30 minutes. I want
more to tie the universe of Pitch Black with the world
of Chronicles, and it's a wonderful universe. There
is a lot of potential here for a good franchise.
Matt normally runs riot in our anime and comics (manga) sections,
but every once in a while he has to see something in English.
Or reasonably close to it. Say hey here.
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