Chronicles Of Riddick

[ddvmor]

(This may already have been discussed, but I couldn't find a thread on it. Feel free to ridicule (Riddck-ule?..ok, maybe it's not so funny) me if I'm just being dumb and missed it.)

I went to see Chronicles of Riddick last night. All the reviews I'd read indicated that it was somewhere between 'dire' and 'mediochre'. I actually really enjoyed it despite the not-so-subtle influences of Dune, LotR and so-on.

The two surviving characters from Pitch Black

Spoiler

seemed more like set dressing - both getting killed at key moments merely to give Riddick an excuse to get p***ed off. In Kira's case particularly, it seemed a bit of a waste of a character with plenty of potential (although she was a bit 2D).

I thought where the story was left at the end

Spoiler

with Riddick being hailed as the leader of the nasty, nasty Necromongers

made the entire movie feel like a preamble for the next (assuming them make one) movie which has the potential for being fantastic (albeit derivative again of every other sci fi/fantasy movie ever made).

The special effects were mostly pretty great, although some of the wide shots of Helion Prime were a bit cartoony. The action was fantastic - some nice cinematography going on in places. Vin Desil's performance was pretty good (did you know that he was a stage actor before he started making dumb action movies? It occasionally shows through the menacing stares and growling).

Just interested in what everone else thought of the movie and where they see the story going...

 

[Hand of Evil]

Thought it was underated myself, good action and story, pacing very good, characters interesting, acting not really bad.


http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87679&highlight=Chronicles+Riddick

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=90466&highlight=Chronicles+Riddick

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91102&highlight=Chronicles+Riddick

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

I also enjoyed it. I hope beyond hope that they get to make the next two movies, although I'm doubtful.

 

[Sarigar]

I thought it was well made also. It wasn't a classic by any means, but it is worth a sequel or two to round out the chronicles.

 

[Zappo]

boxofficemojo says that it grossed 101 millions; imdb says that the budget was 110. Counting in income from DVD sales and rental (not to mention that it's still in cinemas in some countries), I'm positive that it will be well in black. So, at least one sequel is likely.

As for my opinion of the movie: good pacing, adequate plot, beautiful sceneries, the occasional funny lines. Vin Diesel ain't no great actor, but he's still better than Keanu Reeves. A pity that

Spoiler

Kira had to die; Riddick is living in a void of characters now

. I gave it an 8.

 

[Rackhir]

I enjoyed the movie a LOT. It had the best set and costume design I've seen since Dune (My reference mark for great sets and costuming). Vin makes quite a good action star and I loved Riddick's attitude.

Spoiler

Especially his discussion with himself over if he should break loose and kill the bounty hunters now or if it was better just to be chauffered to his destination.

Yeah, the remaining cast from Pitch Black, did seem unecessary and was kind of pointlessly expended.

Spoiler

But by the end I was wondering more about how effective that "Marking" or what ever the hell the necromongers did to their new recruits really was since Kira didn't really seem to be affected by it.

Still I had a lot of fun with the movie and it is terrific eye candy. I give it a big thumbs up.

 

[haiiro]

The single best short review of a movie I've ever seen was for Chronicles of Riddick:

"Pitch Brown"

Now, I didn't think it was that bad, but I enjoyed it a great deal less than Pitch Black. I liked the opening, and I really liked the part on Crematoria (which felt a lot like Pitch Black tinged with a bit of the Alien movies) -- but the rest I could have done without.

Two things about CoR really bugged me: their decision to make him a Furyan -- for me, the fact that Riddick was human was one of the most important aspects of his character -- and the cheesy names. I mean c'mon, Necromongers?

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Two things about CoR really bugged me: their decision to make him a Furyan -- for me, the fact that Riddick was human was one of the most important aspects of his character -- and the cheesy names. I mean c'mon, Necromongers?

He was human. A human from the planet of Furyan. At least that is my understanding of the Riddick-verse.

And the names. *shrug* To me it was no less "cheesy" than what is found in every single fantasy setting in games, novels or movies EVER created.

The ending is set up for a sequel, the creator (Twohy I believe) even said that when a sequel to Pitch Black was given the green light, he planned for a trilogy-worth of more movies (not including things like the animated Dark Fury).

Oh, I must say, the ending camara shot of Chronicles was SO much a rip off on the first Conan movie. Not that that is a bad thing. I don't mind at all retellings of previous stories, but it seemed so much like a tipoff that much of the story of Riddick is a nod to the stories of Robert E. Howard's Conan.


Regards,
Eric Anondson

 

[haiiro]

He was human. A human from the planet of Furyan. At least that is my understanding of the Riddick-verse.

Hrm. I'd gotten the opposite impression, though my only sources are the two movies plus the short anime "bridge" between them (I've never played the Xbox game).

Can you point me somewhere to find out a bit more about this one?

 

[Berandor]

The necromongers themselves refer to their victims sometimes as "humans", sometimes as belonging to different "races". So, I'd agree that Furyans are just humans from Furya.

I liked the movie, but I didn't *love* it. It had great scenes and moments, but also a lot of boring moments. I heard that Twohy had to dumb down the movie - maybe a director's cut would help? I enjoyed Diesel's performance, though. I think he's fairly underrated as an actor - not that he's a second Olivier, but he can do more than look grumpy, and has a certain charisma that shines even through black googles (watch "Boiler Room" for a very different Diesel).

I'd give it a 6 out of 10.