Review of Pitch Black (2000) by Jacquline P — 09 Feb 2012

Here lies the film that brought the Diesel to the public consciousness. Pitch Black is all about him and the character of Riddick that he so aptly breathes life into. The rest... a typical sci-fi film with nocturnal monsters (looking like something from the Zergs in Star Craft) creating a backdrop for the usual tomfoolery showing that the human survival instinct isn't pretty to watch.

There's many a plot hole and some curious impulses by various characters, but at least some of the characters besides Riddick were somewhat well developed (although corny in the case of Radha Mitchell as the junior pilot and only survivor from the crew when their craft is forced to crash onto an unknown planet. Said planet has 3 suns - meaning, like the British Empire, the sun never sets... except every 22 years when there's an eclipse. The 400 lb gorilla in the room is that the "monsters" are nocturnal - uh huh, so they live underground and live off..... oh never mind.

Really, the film does use some nice sepia tones to show the harshness of a planet in total sunlight 24/7, and the cgi of the creatures is a cut above your usual "b film", but, while there is a bit of tension built up, the final outcome never seemed in question. I kept thinking of the Agatha Christie novel "Ten Little Indians" where the cast of characters are bumped off one by one. Same here, and really it was a shame to see Claudia Black (she of the great Farscape) bumped off so early.

However, all kidding aside, you could do much worse in viewing an action sci-fi type film, and the Diesel carries the goods here - his machismo is apropos to the character as is his particular brand of fatalism. Riddick has been called an "anti-hero" by many, but I continue to find him a man true to his own convictions, and while maybe those convictions aren't all warm and cuddly, they are honest and he's true to them - compare that to the bozos running for political office.