Rhythm Sound And Movement - Pitch Black

Advantages: decent, actioner, awesome DTS sound
Disadvantages: pointless featurette

...I saw Pitch Black in a movie preview in May 2000 which was a few weeks before cinematic release. For some reason it was then out back a few months so I was happy I got into the preview. Due to the film being released in the USA way before it hit the UK anyone with a multi-region player had the opportunity to get it on dvd before UK cinemas and with the R2 release not far away this R1 release is still a better bet. For those who know nothing about the film I'll recap. A passenger spacecraft crash lands on an unknown planet. On board are various kinds of people and also a dangerous prisoner named Riddick. Naturally when they crash some are killed, others survive and the prisoner has escaped. This prisoner comes in the shape of one Vin Diesel who is a known ruthless criminal who has some problems with the rest of humanity... Read review

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Advantages: Great concept...
Disadvantages: ...flushed down the pan.

...-fi classic. The reason it doesn't happen is because the first half of the movie is filled with the film's OTHER plot - survivors from a crashed space ship battle against an intergalactic serial killer. Either plot would have worked well by itself, but with both stories crammed into one movie, neither is given the attention it deserves. On the plus side, Van Diesel as Riddick makes a cool anti-hero, growling one liners and acting hard. Due to the no-name cast, the audience is left wondering who will be next. Unfortunately, the real good guy and real bad guy are revealed far too early, losing most of the suspense. Now. Reasons why Pitch Black isn't "Alien-like" or "Alien-esque". Firstly, the aliens themselves. Giger's indelible creations had a clearly defined structure to their hive - egg, face-hugger, alien, alien queen... Read review

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Advantages: Believable, good acting and direction
Disadvantages: Limited due to simple plot

...One of the marvels of a sci-fi film is how believable it is. Successful sci-fi films tend to be the ones where the characters and events are believable, and the fear and helplessness of the unknown comes across to the viewer. The 2000 film Pitch Black is one such film. The fear of darkness and of creatures unseen combines brilliantly with the fear that the only guy capable of helping you is also the one most likely to kill you. Read on..... The Plot The plotline of a spaceship crash landing on another planet is a much followed one. It is prevalent in many films. This comes with a twist, as it has a passenger who is the most dangerous criminal known, being transported to a secure holding prison in space. With the plane crash landing, the survivors form a motley crew of families, the criminal: serial killer Riddick, and the man who... Read review

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