Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8425 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-01-03
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 114 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bigger isn't always better, but for anyone who enjoyed Pitch Black, a nominal sequel like The Chronicles of Riddick should prove adequately entertaining. Writer-director David Twohy returns with expansive sets, detailed costumes, an army of CGI effects artists, and the star he helped launch--Vin Diesel--bearing his franchise burden quite nicely as he reprises his title role. The Furian renegade Riddick has another bounty on his head, but when he escapes from his mercenary captors, he's plunged into an epic-scale war waged by the Necromongers. A fascist master race led by Lord Marshal (Colm Feore), they're determined to conquer all enemies in their quest for the Underverse, the appeal of which is largely unexplained (since Twohy is presumably reserving details for subsequent "chronicles"). With tissue-thin plotting, scant character development, and skimpy roles that waste the talents of Thandie Newton (as a Necromonger conspirator) and Judi Dench (as a wispy "Elemental" priestess), Twohy's back in the B-movie territory he started in (with The Arrival), brought to vivid life on a vast digital landscape with the conceptual allure of a lavish graphic novel. But does Riddick have leadership skills on his resumé? To get an answer to that question, sci-fi fans will welcome another sequel. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
The sequel to cult sci-fi hit PITCH BLACK sees Vin Diesel enthusiastically returning to his role as Richard B. Riddick. Director-writer David Twohy is on board again, building on themes established in the first movie, and expanding his vision with some incredible special effects work. Twohy opens the movie with Riddick on the run from a group of bounty hunters. He escapes them with ease, then seeks information from an old friend named Inam (Keith David). Inam informs Riddick that he has been singled out by an Air Elemental, Aereon (Judi Dench), as the one man who can stop the evil Necromongers from taking over the Universe. Suddenly, the Necromongers arrive on the planet, causing mayhem and destruction. They capture Riddick. He soon escapes, only to fall into the hands of the bounty hunters he so deftly eluded at the start of the movie. They take Riddick to a rogue prison planet where he is met by scorching heat, an underground penitentiary, and his female companion from PITCH BLACK, Jack (who is now called Kyra, and played by a different actress, Alexa Davalos). They plan their escape from the planet, and vow to bring down the Necromongers. Things don't go according to plan however, leading to a suspense-filled climax to the film, and an eyebrow-raising ending that suggests Twohy may have plans for further installments in the story.

Customer Reviews

Don't buy the commercial version - buy the directors cut
The very sad fact about this excellent film is that it was killed (in spirit at least) by the movie studio in an effort to make it more 'viewer friendly'. I have both versions of this film on DVD and I can say unequivably that the commercial release is horrid, I can't stand to watch it, but the uncut director version is nothing short of excellent, one of my favorite films - why? The directors cut fleshes out the plot in a much better way and sits together as a film more naturally. The commercial version is edited completely different and cuts out all the story aspects of the film, focusing on being an action movie rather than a true sci-fi film. In short it doesn't work, all action and no plot leaves the commercial version empty, souless, spoiled. If you love sci-fi and especially if you loved Pitch Black then buy this film, but please buy the real version and enjoy.

mindless but enjoyable!
I didn't come into this expecting any sort of lesson or moral- I wasn't disappointed. Having loved Pitch Black, I knew pretty much what to expect; brutal killings on a grand scale, with Vin Diesel seemingly born for the role as mercenary, cold- hearted Riddick. (Riddick, Riddick... you will be mine).
This time around, however, Riddick has a sliver of warmth in his soul- for the lost boy/girl Jack who he saved from the sun planet in Pitch Black. Hearing that she was sent to a brutal prison planet, Riddick for the first time displays concern for another person by working out how to get to her. Cue much merciless killings, stunning fighting and a whole race of alien Necromongers taking over the universe. Who's to stop them? Let me think...
This is pure mindless entertainment, I for one had no problem watching Vin for the duration and my boyfriend and I both laughed at the inevitable cheesy one- liners and big talk.
"Let me guess, you're gonna kill me with your soup cup?"
"Tea cup."
"What?"
"I'm gonna kill you with my tea cup."
Or something. Sublime!

I'm so bad-ass, it shows in my acting!
OK, putting aside Vin Diesel's macho-acting and bad-ass-ness, this movie is quite enjoyable.

Like most movies nowadays (especially in sci-fi/fantasy) there's tons of CGI, although we can sniff them out a mile away, they are passable and helpful.

What impressed me most was the whole gothic feel for the Necromongers with elaborate sets, props, makeup and costumes, clearly, a lot of work and money was put into this, and comes out great.

Acting varies, but what did you expect when you're mixing up Vin Diesel with Judy Dench?

Story-wise, it's well told, though predictable, unfortunately it spends a lot of time in the prison-world, for the richness of this universe, we deserved to see more. The end comes with some surprise in an unusual turn of events, and ready for CoR II...

I wasn't too crazy on the action scenes, though. Why is it nowadays directors have to show all action sequences in jumbled-in-your-face-snapshot movements and cuts?

Anyway, turn off your brain when Vin Diesel is on the set, absorb the gothic feel of the Necrons, and it can be an enjoyable movie.