Barnes & Noble

This ambitious follow-up to Pitch Black eschews the original's stylish minimalism and character-driven plotting in favor of lavish production values that include opulent settings, state-of-the-art special effects, and elaborate action sequences. Writer-director David Twohy once again builds a futuristic narrative around Riddick (Vin Diesel), the amoral ex-con fated to wind up in dangerous situations on faraway planets. This time he's pitted against the evil Lord Marshal (Colm Feore) and the Necromongers, a quasi-religious cult bent on killing or converting all humans. Riddick is torn between Aereon (Judi Dench), the benevolent ambassador of a race of elementals, and Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton), a power-hungry, manipulative Necromonger who would love to see her husband in Marshal's shoes. Twohy borrows story elements from numerous sci-fi books, most notably Frank Herbert's Dune, but synthesizes them to create a substantially original concept. Riddick is still the tough, taciturn outsider, forced to participate in a crusade he'd just as soon ignore; Diesel imbues him with the same brutish charisma the character exhibited in Pitch Black, and the sequel backs him up with a more accomplished cast. Some critics have suggested that Chronicles is a bloated, pretentious bore, but we disagree: It's certainly not in the same vein as Pitch Black, but why should it be? Twohy, Diesel, and company clearly wanted to produce something different, something with epic proportions and real dramatic heft. In our view they have succeeded handily. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Vin Diesel returns as the nocturnally gifted antihero Riddick in this sequel to the 2000 cult item Pitch Black. Riddick, on the run from the law and evading mercenaries eager to claim the price on his head, seeks refuge on the planet of Helion, only to discover he's walked into a world in chaos. Helion has been seized by the Lord Marshall (Colm Feore), leader of the Necromongers, a race of bloodthirsty warriors determined to wipe out humanity throughout the universe. Aereon (Judi Dench), leader of Helion's "elementals," pleads with Riddick to join them in their fight for survival; Riddick agrees, hoping to fill out some of the blank chapters in his history along the way. As he plots his battle strategy against the Necromongers, Riddick becomes reacquainted with Kyra (Alexa Davalos), whom he knew as a girl but has since grown into a strong and beautiful woman eager to join him in the fight against the Lord Marshall. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 025192632426
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Language: English
• Editions: Director's Cut, Uncensored
• Time: 2:14:00
• Sales Rank: 18,576

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Riddick Trilogy
• Chronicles of Riddick/Pitch Black

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