Riddick

Riddick is left for dead on an unknown planet with hostel indigenous predators. With a bounty on his head he calls upon the very people who want to have him killed in order to escape.

Director/writer David Twohy certainly delivers a fan pleasing sequel that fittingly harks back to the first instalment's roots in both story linkage and tone. While not as grand, fans of Chronicles will also be pleased with the stripped continuation back story and a cameo from Karl Urban's Vaako.

It's a good piece of science fiction action entertainment with decapitations, shootings, spaceships, a hostile planet, yes it's familiar and debatably derivative as the characters get picked off one by one, but as with Pitch Black Twohy effortlessly manages to create a convincing environment with new memorable biological creatures which is no easy task, to his credit it's no often lighting strikes twice given how many forgettable alien creatures have been put on screen. Yet, even though reminiscent Alien (1979) he manages to recreate what he did with the photosensitive, reptilians in his breakout 2000 film.

Vin Diesel returns as the character created by Jim Wheat & Ken Wheat- Riddick, this time he rekindles his previous edginess but the 'one Riddick and his dog' aspect expands the character, sneakily retaining some likability (especially for animal fans).

Given the way the production was funded the special effects are a mixed bag but serve their purpose. The first act is a special effect survival piece with sparse dialogue and smart action, with the second act taking place after an (unstated) amount of time when Riddick finds a small base. From then on its full of action setups, space motorcycles, conflicts and one-liners as the mercenaries and bounty hunters have to make an alliance with Riddick to survive an impending alien onslaught.

The supporting characters are developed just enough to be both identifiable, memorable and you almost care just enough to invest your time. Spanish actor Jordi Mollà gives a standout performance as the head hunting, unsavoury Santana, Total Recall (remake) actor Brokeem Woodbine gives some weight with his limited dialogue. Katee Sackhoff while feeling a little typecast still delivers the goods, even the remaining groups stereo-types are more fleshed out than they should be of the genre which adds to the enjoyment. Matt Nable is a good lead as Boss Johns whose character gives the story a (satisfying) little twist that those familiar with the original will see coming a mile off.

The closing is arguably abrupt but is possibly intentional as it leaves you wanting more. The critiques maybe a little hard on Riddick but considering it is a third in a film series spurred from such humble beginnings, an inviolate first (small comparison to is sequel) Riddick is entertaining viewing.

A good antihero is a wonderful thing, and Riddick is a commendable example. Having watched the evolution of this character over the course of one very good Sci-Fi outing (Pitch Black)and one very passable Sci-Fi mega-production (The Chronicles of Riddick), it was nice to welcome him back to smaller budgets and the authentic claustrophobia that befits an interstellar fugitive.

"Riddick" is a film that delivers what its core audience wants: the story never strays from what has been established, although there is the unfortunate drift towards "How Incredible Is This Guy?" that afflicts so many film series (cf. "Iron Man","Dirty Harry", "Rocky"). Nonetheless, the action is both gloriously implausible and entertaining, and director David Twohy does a great job of keeping you in the same universe where you first joined this ride. In short, Riddick is spot-on, while "Riddick" is a little overblown.

I will not reveal the end, but I will reveal that I was a little disappointed in its neatness. Clearly the script writer has more faith in the redemptive power of revealed truths than I do. This notwithstanding, for the period that I was in the cinema, I had a good time with my dangerous friend Richard Riddick, and I imagine that anyone who liked the first two films will do so, too. It is particularly recommended to those who preferred "Pitch Black" to "The Chronicles of Riddick". David Twohy is back home, and feeling fine.

Riddick - RULE THE DARK I've been a fan of this film series since its inception. Pitch Black was, by all accounts, an interesting and different film. What otherwise should have been a modern cult classic in the making (on its own); turned out to gain a sequel in Chronicles Of Riddick. I wasn't completely fond of Chronicles, it seemed to me like an over the top expansion of a universe that we were seemingly interested in, and ended up not really wanting.

THE BAD - The beginning of the film dragged on for a very long time. The writing was tenuous at various points of the film. To some degree, nonsensical dialogue tied to continuation of the story that had almost no purpose.

THE GOOD - I was extremely interested in seeing Dave Bautista (Batista) in this film, because I wanted to see his acting ability prior to Guardians of the Galaxy. Bautista handled himself well overall,the few lines he had were relatively memorable & funny.

Once the movie (actually) gets started, which is about 25-30 minutes in, you get immersed in what feels like a proper Pitch Black sequel, and that part of the film is fun, action packed, anxious, and filled with randomly interesting characters that help you understand Riddick out of context. And Vin Diesel was GREAT like always.

IN ALL, A DECENT WATCH .

Back to real action movie and R rating.

The film is exactly as it should be, brutal, bloody and with a dose of humor. Again it's action on a desert planet, fighting monsters and surviving, but this time without some of the irritating characters we saw in the first part of the saga (Pitch Black).

The film is well directed, the cinematography is good, the cast is not bad, the action scenes are great.

The cinematography is good, the film is visually interesting, and some of the scenes are spectacular. The atmosphere is tense, and yet with a dose of dark humor.

The extended version of the film is more complete than the theatrical version, contains more action and fills in some gaps. Vin Diesel is good in the role of Riddick, but the other characters are just as fun and interesting.

A film that wants to entertain the viewer and definitely succeeds at it.

Brutal, dark and entertaining.

I saw Riddick last night and enjoyed it very much. No, it wasn't a perfect film, but I knew going in that I wasn't going to see an Oscar contender!!! The action and special effects were great, the story is nothing we haven't already seen before though it was well done, and the acting was as expected for this genre. What it does lack in originality, it makes up for in intensity. It is a violent film, but it is action violence and nowhere near "torture porn". Yes, you will have to suspend a good deal of belief, but no more than in any other action film. If you are looking for a heartwarming tale of humanity at it's best -- skip this one. If you are expecting a modern retelling of 2001, than forget this one. If you are looking for mindless entertainment with a lot of action and a plausible storyline, this is for you.