Share

Riddick

Riddick Productions
What it's about:

The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless.

Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s ever encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.

The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.

What we thought:

After watching the trailer for the anticipated third instalment of the Riddick series, you get a feeling that you’ve seen it all before. Stranded on a planet where numerous deadly creatures want to eat you? Wait, isn’t that like the first movie?

Although it revisits some plot points from the first instalment, Pitch Black, and swops creatures that come out in darkness to creatures that come out in rain, it does have some point in the overall scheme of the Riddick story line.

After being betrayed by the Necromongers, Riddick tries to regain his inner ‘animal’, equating being ‘civilised’ with being weak. Although most anti-heroes start off good, but turn dark after some tragedy, Riddick’s appeal stems from the fact that he has never been good and has no need to repent his ways, and in this movie he recaptures that.

In all honesty, no one really wants to see Riddick become a glorious leader of a warring society and in this part Riddick re-establishes that appeal for his fans, although not in the most original way.

Ironically, the animalistic Riddick’s only emotional connection in the movie is with an alien dog, whose species wants to eat him in the beginning. Vin Diesel almost got upstaged by this adorable yet deadly computer generated creature. Despite what people have said about his acting, Vin Diesel has some very good on-screen chemistry with this imaginary friend, which is hard to do if there is no actual thing to interact with.

Mostly, however, Riddick feels like a detour plot, which should have taken up about a third of the movie and then moved on to the main one. Clearly, Vin Diesel and David Twohy are hoping to continue with the franchise despite a fourth movie not having the green light yet, and it’s a bit of a gamble to potentially end it on such a anti-climactic note if they can’t get another installment of the ground.

But if Vin Diesel was willing to mortgage his own home to get this movie off the ground, I am sure he will find a way to do his envisioned fourth and fifth movie.

If you haven’t seen the first two Riddick movies or aren’t a fan of sci-fi badassery, then you would be better off watching the fine romantic comedies coming out at the same time. If you want to see Vin Diesel kick ass and taking heads, then get your popcorn ready.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE