A transport ship crash lands on a desolate planet
populated by flesh-eating creatures that thrive in darkness. ACTION/SCI-FI
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Pitch Black (2000)Directed by David Twohy
Written by Jim Wheat, Ken Wheat, David Twohy Starring Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Claudia Black |
Pitch Black has its loyal fans, and that's great, but I don't really get it. Vin Diesel has never been a favorite actor of mine, and while the character of Richard B. Riddick is a neat antihero with a heart of gold, he's about the only one really pulling their weight in terms of character development. The creatures are fairly inconsistent in their strength, able to rip a man in half at one point, but barely able to take on Riddick with a knife at another. I don't really get how this spawned a fan favorite franchise.
A transport ship crashes onto a desolate planet full of vicious creatures who hunt in darkness. A month-long eclipse is about to consume the planet, so the survivors have very little time to find another way off the planet. Their only hope becomes Riddick (Diesel), a convicted murderer who was being transported to space prison. He ends up leading the crew to safety and in battle against the monsters. But it takes about a half hour to get there, and by then, I just wasn't feeling that invested. Cole Hauser plays such an over-the-top asshole, but it's fun to see him get ripped apart. There are moments of excitement, such as certain death scenes and the final "fuck you" against the creatures. But the cheesy dialogue, the inconsistent CGI, and the one-note characters really hold this one back. |
The first film in the franchise starts off incredibly strong by giving us an awesome action, horror movie. While the plot may be incredibly simple, the film is still actively engaging and features ton of cool moments. Vin Diesel shows off his acting chops as Riddick, creating a complex antihero who is incredibly fun to watch.
Cole Hauser is great as Johns, giving us a character who serves as a great opposite to the Riddick character. While the effects of the creatures may look a little dated to some, the movie is still a blast to watch and will for sure entertain people. |