movie review - The Chronicles of Riddick
the journal of Michael Werneburg
twenty-seven years and one million words
This is a sequel of sorts to the excellent "Pitch Black". First things first - there's a lot more money evident in this one, and a lot less plot. The effects and some of the sets (such as the mercenaries spaceships) are really quite good. Far beyond the dismal dreck of recent Star Wars and Star Trek. And the inhospitable world that's strongly featured in this one is done to staggering effect.
And I have to say that the tone is consistent, if a little comic-bookish. The citizens of the future sure are a bunch of pissed off assholes! And the sets are very well done - the Imam's home is gorgeous without being stupidly so, while the prison is terrible without being scifi-gone-wrong. These should have ably supported a decent story.
But it's in the story telling that this one is no match for its predecessor. Whereas the first movie was an unexpected treasure, combining excellent characters with plenty of grittiness and strong themes, this one is almost the reverse.
It's vastly over the top, for one thing. And it's almost cartoonishly Sci-Fi in its devices (the races have names such as 'furyians' and 'necromongers', the space ships have stern faces on their exteriors, etc). And with Colm Feore as the Badguy (is the man even capable of warmth?), Riddick as the vaguely Good-guy, and a huge collection of badasses and whack-jobs to flesh out the cast, there really isn't anyone to sympathize with. Gone is the dynamic tension between the original's conflicted pilot and just-maybe-a-decent-guy convict. In its stead is a state of constant showdown between various warriors, convicts, and mercenaries, none of whom convey the slightest bit of humanity. Oddly, they even waste the one character with a shred of hope - the Imam held over from the first movie.
Not recommended.