Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7973 in DVD
• Released on: 2004-12-27
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Dutch, English, German
• Dubbed in: German
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Owing a major debt to Alien and its cinematic spawn, Pitch Black is a guilty pleasure that surpasses expectations. As he did with The Arrival, director David Twohy revitalises a derivative story, allowing you to forgive its flaws and submit to its visceral thrills. Under casual scrutiny, the plot's logic crumbles like a stale cookie, but it's definitely fun while it lasts. A spaceship crashes on a desert planet scorched under three suns. The mostly doomed survivors include a resourceful captain (Radha Mitchell), a drug-addled cop (Cole Hauser), and a deadly prisoner (Vin Diesel) who quickly escapes. These clashing personalities discover that the planet is plunging into the darkness of an extended eclipse, and it's populated by hordes of ravenous, razor-fanged beasties that only come out at night. The body count rises, and Pitch Black settles into familiar sci-fi territory.

What sets the movie apart is Twohy's developing visual style, suggesting that this veteran of B-movie schlock may advance to the big leagues. Like the makers of The Blair Witch Project, Twohy understands the frightening power of suggestion; his hungry monsters are better heard than seen (although once seen, they're chillingly effective), and Pitch Black gets full value from moments of genuine panic. Best of all, Twohy's got a well-matched cast, with Mitchell (so memorable with Ally Sheedy in High Art) and Diesel (Pvt. Caparzo from Saving Private Ryan) being the standouts. The latter makes the most of his muscle-man role, and his character's development is one more reason this movie works better than it should. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
A spacecraft carrying an assortment of passengers including Riddick (Vin Diesel), a dangerous, shackled murderer between prisons, is forced to make a crash landing on a barren, triple-sunned planet after the craft suffers severe damage during a meteor shower. The ship is ripped into pieces, killing several crew members and leaving meek officer Fry (Radha Mitchell) in charge of the survivors. After two unfortunate deaths, the survivors discover that the only visible life form on the planet is a species of light-fearing, carnivorous, occasionally cannibalistic aliens dwelling in caverns beneath the desert surface. Using a model of the planet and its suns in an abandoned research station, Fry deduces that she and her fellow travellers have unfortunately descended on the planet on the day of its first total eclipse in 22 years, giving them mere hours before they are bathed in total darkness. Only then is it safe for the hungry subterranean creatures to emerge, seeking to feed on the remaining survivors. However, the dangerous Riddick, through black market injections received in lock-up, is able to see in darkness- causing the surviving crew members to reluctantly remain dependent on the potentially harmful criminal. As the survivors are killed one by one by the hungry creatures, they realise that Riddick may be their only hope.

Customer Reviews

All you people are so afraid of me
Vin Diesels first outing as Riddick also proves to be his best, proving as with Alien that a simple story and interesting characters can build a classic science fiction film. After a freak meteor storm a transport vessel is forced to crash land on an unknown planet. The survivors first concern would seem to be the escape of the convicted murderer on board 'Diesel', but it soon becomes obvious they are not the only inhabitants of the planet.

Diesel gives a fantastic perfromance as Riddick, a real anti hero much darker than expected. The supporting cast are great with constant role reversing throughout the film, its hard to know who is actually likeable.

The special effects are pretty good and the lighting used on the planet creates a truely alien environment. The creature effects are a mixed bag, while the idea is sound and original some times they look a little CGI, but this is a minor complaint as they do turn out to be the star of the show.

This is a rare gem, quality, original science fiction like this doesnt come along every day so make the most of it. Continued in 2004 with the Chronicals of Riddick. Well recommended.

You aren't afraid of the dark are you?
This punchy and slick sci-fi action horror is based around a small group of travellers who crash land on a strange uninhabited planet which, by some luck, is about to plunge itself into complete darkness which is set to last for some time. The main member of this gang and the character around which the entire film is based is a notoriously violent and ruthless killer called Riddick. As he can see in the dark and is known for his dramatic escapism the team decide to use him to help get them off the planet alive.

The rest of the film is spent watching the members of this plucky little group get picked off one by one. All of the characters face emotional difficulty and have to use all of their strength and wit to survive.

Vin Diesel plays a very convincing hard faced super cool killer who risks his own life to help save others. The other characters have their own individual charm and personality which really help to give this film some substance and make it seem very realistic.

The format however is pretty much predictable and you can have a good guess at who will be killed next, but the characters are played so well and the spooky and demanding world is brought to life in such a magical way that you cant help but enjoy every minute. Well worth a look if action and aliens are your thing.

WOW...DON'T TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!...
This is an incredibly good movie that successfully crosses over into two genres: science fiction and horror. It does justice to both.
A passenger laden space ship crash lands on an apparently barren and arid planet orbited by three suns. One of the passengers is a viscious killer whose eyesight is such that he can see better in the dark than the others.

At first, their most serious problem appears to be how to get off the planet. It quickly becomes clear that how to stay alive in order to get off the planet is the first and foremost issue. You see, the planet is inhabited by killer creatures that shy away from light, and an eclipse is on the immediate horizon.

The viewer doesn't fully see the creatures throughout most of the film, just their gruesome handiwork. Less is more and the film director capitalizes on this premise to great effect. You do not really see them fully until the very end, and they do not disappoint!

This stylish and gripping film depicts the killer as the anti-hero who ultimately squares off with the creatures from one's worst nightmares. As darkness falls, the survivors become less fearful of the anti-hero, as his unique ability to discern these carnivorous creatures in the darkness can help them survive. It is their fear of these nightmarish creatures that now becomes paramount.

Visually stunning, this film is unusual and clever. It is no wonder that it is a sleeper hit. It has the makings of a cult classic.