6/16/2004
The Chronicles of Riddick stars Vin Diesel as Riddick, Colm Feore as Lord Marshal, Thandie Newton as Dame Vaako, Judi Dench as Aereon, Karl Urban as Vaako, Alexa Davalos as Kyra, Linus Roache as Purifier, Yorick van Wageningen as The Guv, Nick Chinlund as Toombs, Keith David as Imam, Mark Gibbon as Irgun, Roger R. Cross as Toal, Terry Chen as Merc Pilot, and Christina Cox as Eve Logan.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a film that looks familiar. It has elements of every sci/fi film we have seen in the last twenty years. There is very little plot to get in the way of the story to quote a great drive-in critic. The story unfolds as mercenaries try to capture Riddick. He eludes them, steals their ship, and returns to the planet to find the people who put a price on his head. He meets an old friend, moments later the Necromongers invade the planet to conquer the world for the Underverse. This is clearly a Borg ripoff or vice versa. The ships look very much like the ones in Dune. And of course, the show-down fight scene, just like in Dune. There is also WWE or for those nostaligic, WWF action in the form of a suplex. And the Conan the Barbarian ending. The rest is action, action, and more action.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a computer game brought to the big screen. The acting is not difficult as the dialog is sparse. The rest is special effects! It was a good diversion for an afternoon. The video game/MTV generation will like this film. As for me, I would like a little more story with my action.
I give it 3 out of 5 goggles: 