Review of The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) by Thequietgamer — 08 Oct 2014

Cheesy sci-fi fun. This sequel definitely takes pride in it's special effects and visual style. It's a good looking film (for the time) that has a lot of unique imagery. You can tell that a lot of time was taken in order to really make this feel like a sci-fi world. Unfortunately that time seems to have taken away from should have been better writing and casting.

The film's plot is simple, but easy to follow. The only complaint I have is the familiar/predictable elements and the fact that quite a bit of it hangs on the fact that the first movie is required watching. The acting, outside of Diesel and Dench, isn't quite up to snuff either. The female cast in particular is noticeably bad, and seem to have been selected based on looks alone. Some of the dialog can be poor as well.

It's still an enjoyable movie though. Particularly for those who are fans of the Riddick character. It's a very different film the the first movie (Pitch Black), but packs enough exciting action and flawed fun to be worth a look. It might not be one of the smartest or deepest sci-fi movie out there, no matter how hard it tries to be, but it's still a fun movie. One that succeeds thanks to it's strong visuals, it's likable lead in Diesel, and with it's fun action. Plot and acting might not be entirely up to snuff, but it's still worth a watch. Just expect some cheesiness.