The Film
He's baaaaaccckkk.
Nine years after The Chronicles of Riddick, Vin Diesel is donning the funky contacts for a third installment in this franchise, which is simply titled Riddick. This installment brings back Karl Urban (briefly) and adds in Katee Sackhoff, who flashes a little boob in an effort to make this movie worth watching.
Sackhoff is best known for her role as Battlestar Galactica's Starbuck, which has cemented her as a goddess amongst geeks. That said, she doesn't get nearly enough credit or work -- and is completely wasted in this movie.
Despite the real-time gap, Riddick takes place just five years after the events of the last film. Big surprise: Riddick (Diesel) isn't happy. He's still longing for home, although he's not too sure where that is. He's still got the creepy night vision eyes and the love of the Necromongers. Well, not really. Riddick decides to ditch the Necromonger oath, so they banish him to a desolate planet and put a big, old target on his back.
From there, the film is all about bounty hunters, mercenaries, and assassins -- oh my! In other words, if you like the last movie, you'll probably be willing to sit through another 2 hours.
I wasn't a big fan of The Chronicles of Riddick and had similar feelings for this outing. Despite endless promises that there will be action, Riddick moves sort of slow, with the supporting cast not supporting nearly enough. That said, if you've come this far in the franchise, you may as well keep going. I will say that I found it insanely impressive that Riddick was made for just a fraction of its predecessor, while managing the same sort of quality with the special effects and storyline. Whether that's a level you're willing to live with is up to you.
Before you strap yourself in for another installment of this franchise, check out Joe Lozito's theatrical review of Riddick.
The Picture
Like its predecessors, Riddick is a good-looking film. The 2.40:1 image is filled with deep blacks and a slew of other warm colors, all of which depict the action and the scenery perfectly. However, the most impressive part of the film is the level of detail. Facial details are great and the creatures are creepy. This is a sharp one, kids, even in the film's darkest moments.
The Sound
Riddick is like a rollercoaster. One minute, it's quiet. The next, it's filled with gunshots, screeching creatures, the roar of hover bikes, and more. The release's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track handles every single moment perfectly. Those quiet moments don't waste the surrounds for one second, though. Instead, they show off plenty of ambient effects and build suspense for when the action sneaks up on you. The soundtrack also plays into the whole thing quite nicely. There's not one thing to complain about here.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Don't be fooled by having Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff or anyone else listed in the credits. The supporting cast is completely wasted here. As with the two previous flicks in the franchise, Riddick is really the Vin Diesel show. If that's something that sounds interesting to you, have at it. The AV is really nice and the action is ok, but overall, the film is sort of slow and sloppy. None of the Riddick films are rocket-science, though. If you've come this far, you should know what to expect with this third entry in the franchise.
Product Details
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