Larian Studios Forums General Chat Chronicles of Riddick - Pitch Black

I am not much into sci-fi horror; most movies I saw are rather predictable and try to look too serious for their own good.
There are few exceptions, notably Aliens, the follow up to Ridley Scott's exellent Alien (designs by H.G. Giger). Now Aliens probably being one (if not the) of my favorite Sci-Fi movies, nothing untill today could come close. I just saw Pitch Black.

It's not often that I have a burning wish to buy a DVD, especially when the market is filled with american big-budget but low-sense flicks.
Pitch Black certainly doesn't look like a big-budget movie, nevertheless, it looks pleasent. The camerawork is professional, the lighting is excellent and the 3d effects, although a tiny bit outdated, do not overwhelm the movie.
The story seems typical but the developement isn't.
A civilian trader ship crashes on a desert planet, carrying some passengers. One of those passengers is a policeman who escorts a dangerous criminal to a prison after the later is finally caught.
Nothing exciting about this plot as it seems to be the only possible way for an american horror/sci-fi.
That's where the similarities end. The acting is, in my opinion, most excellent. Surprised I was when I saw that Vin Diesel ACTED. I am no fan of Vin after such dumbster material as XXX but now I see he isn't bad. On the countrary, in this movie I couldn't imagine anyone else in this role. (I wonder what D&D character he usually plays <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />). Whereas there are a few "scientific" errors, there are a lot of curious little details which make the movie believable. The action sequences are actually interesting to watch. As I said, the camerawork and the lighting are exellent. As for the scare factor, I am not an avid horror-movie watcher. Not only they usually feature awful acting and worse scripts but they tend to be repetitive. I won't judge this movie as a horror movie because (for me again) there are few, if none, spooks. In fact, I haven't seen anything which scared me since "Devil's Avocate", another of my favorite movies, which I watched a couple of years ago before going to sleep <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Arguably, this movie is a reworked Alien/Aliens. Noticing the several similarities, I nevetheless consider this movie as a gem. If you like sci-fi/action, take a look.

Good night.

pitch black certainy is the best & the only watchable vin diesel movie. now with the upcoming chronicles, i'm very apprehensive about how that movie will end up. knowing the trend hollywood likes right now (with everything imaginable overblown), i don't have much confidence in the prequel/sequel.

as for alien quadrilogy, i still love the first moer than the rest. it's hitchcock in space. u know what's coming but u still cringe when it happens. not to forget another great sci-fi; the thing. john carpenter loves to freak people out. oh yes, for an offbeat love-it-or-leave-it sci-fi flick, john carpenter's debut feature length movie (based on his college short film project) Dark Star is funny & satyrical. smarter than space-balls.

oh yes, a recent low budget sci-fi; equilibrium. up there with first matrix (heck fights are even better).

& the best horror film award goes to ..... Bubba Ho-Tep !! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

And it's Australian! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

I think it wasn't a very big budget. They did very well with what they had! A good murderous-aliens movie. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I saw the movie just yesterday, and I liked it ok, BUT there was like zero excitement in the movie, so predictable and all.
this was imho the least watchable Vin D. movie. Liked The Fast and... a lot more. xXx on the other hand... it was ok, better than PB, but over the top though. I think that the new Riddick movie must be quite good

No didn't see it - don't know what you're talking about <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

But loved the Alien(s) movies (all 4 of them), but the second one was the best.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/alien.gif" alt="" />

I've watched Pitch Black too a month or two ago. It's not a horrible movie but it doesn't come close to *good* either in my opinion. Given the means they had, the photography is definitely alright. But I felt this movie was lacking a lot in certain areas: dialogues, characters, acting performances, screenplay, plot development... they were all only so-so. I think it had a lot more potential.

I enjoyed Pitch Black when it came out in the cinema. Wasn't great but it had more good points than bad. The character Riddick was the highlight...

Aliens (second one) is still to this day one of my all time favourite films, and the best sci-fi film I've ever seen.

The first one comes a close second, but as for the later 2 films...I don't hold much regard for them.

The one with Al Pacino? If so, how was that scary? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

That one.
It's not the movie itself, it's what I thought after the movie.... Argh, don't mention, I couldn't explain anyway and will make a fool of myself while trying <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />.

"Devil's Avocate"

Another of my favourites...there was some scary moments - not the sudden jump or drop your cup of tea kind of scary, just a tension build, using sharp editing, music, and images of normal people looking a bit demonic beneath their skin!

Jogging scene is one that comes to mind...plus the fantastic last 20 mins of the film.

I was wondering that myself, DATD. But it then occurred to me that the concept might have been unnerving. I didn't find Devil's Advocate scary. I think the movies that got my 'scary' nerve going were: Seven and Copycat. I think Copycat because the idea is a bit plausible. Seven scared me visually. Both were great films. Oddly enough, I watched both of them the same evening.

I am not a sci-fi fan but after reading DATD's crit of Pitch Black, I am more than curious to see it. I definitely liked the first Alien. Sig Weaver is a great actress. She was incredible in that movie.

Great discussion, btw.


Faralas <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mage.gif" alt="" />

Loved that movie. I just thought Al Pachino's whole monologue at the end was fantastic. His usual manic performance. (Unfortunately type-cast since Scarface, but hey I like it!)
Vin Diesel plays Riddick very well. His best role. He has the stupidest hollywood name ever though. I may go to see the 'chronicles'. I think it may have too much hollywood 'pazazz' though and the charm of Pitch Black will be lost in a slew of special effects.

Still, what the hell, its only a few bucks.

For those interested, the game Chronicles of Riddick - Escape from butcher bay is apparently the best movie-based game ever. It's Xbox exclusive though.

Pitch black is simply my favorite movie, Vin Diesel was awesome in it and Fast And Furious was a horrific movie, triple X was ok. But Chronicles of Riddick made me hunger since I first heard the title. Pitch Black made me a Vin Diesel fan, so the crap he played afterwards was really disappointing. Vin Diesel is obviously not a money-actor, not anymore since triple-x II would obviously bring in more mone than Chronicles. Chronicles is here, XXX2 is not.

The fact alone that he isn't interested in playing in sequels speaks for itself.
Chronicles of Riddick is a prequel, right?

"Where's your god now?" - Riddick

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/kitty.gif" alt="" />

Pitch Black was that movie where he is trapped inside this planet and there are these bat things flying around where everyone is afraid.....and they shine lights at em.....and stuff...RiGhT?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/freak.gif" alt="" />

In short the plot is:

SPOILER Warning














<span class='standouttext'>Spoiler : </span><span class='spoiler'>
Transport ship wiv criminal crashes on planet, they find abandoned science outpost, seems they left in a hurry. The planet has 3 suns, so it has no night. Except once in X time all 3 suns are lined up and some planet in between those suns and this planet. At night the monsters come out of your closet, well actually the ground in this movie. Vin Diesel Beeing the dangerous, careless, anarchistic criminal who's believed to be the responsible of those dissapearing, ends up saving the last survivors, sacreficing himself. Vin Diesel, Riddick dangerous criminal got his eyes changed for nighsight in some kind of prison with no daylight. Making him the only one capable of saving them. </span> Right?

The silver eyes Riddick has are punnishment. "They say that you'll never see daylight again and polish your eyeballs." This way, daylight is unbearably bright to look at.

"Riddick is known to have surgically altered his eyes for enhanced night-vision. THis enhancement while an asset in a dark prison enviroment, may prove a liablity in out-world conditions"

background story about riddick: http://www.pitch-black.com/blackbox/SlamOnline.html