Fluke_Skywalker
Plot; A ship crash lands on a planet where deadly, night roaming creatures may not be the greatest threat.There are several elements that keep Pitch Black from being just another in a long line of Alien knockoffs, but the strongest of these is the character of Riddick. Vin Diesel may have the range of a spitball, but when it's in his wheelhouse he can crush it, as he does here. His Riddick is more than just an antihero, he's the straw that stirs the drink. Riddick is surrounded by some strong characters, all with satisfying arcs and little sections of turf to call their own. The film itself is tight and lean, with no wasted motion. The f/x are shoddy at times, but that's to be expected from a low budget sci-fi/horror film from the early 00's. What really matters is the execution, and here it's nearly pitch perfect.
sol-
When their spaceship crashes on an outskirts planet, fears mount in regards to an incarcerated convicted murderer who fled captivity in the crash, however, the crew and passengers soon find something far more terrifying on the planet itself in this action thriller with a sci-fi twist. Relatively simple as the premise may be, it is undeniably effective with the film's best moments coming from the crew and passengers scurrying about in fear of Vin Diesel's killer, accidentally shooting one another in the process. The tension is not quite the same once Diesel decides to unite with the group to overcome the vicious alien presence on the planet, but there is still plenty to ponder over as all concerned find it so hard to trust Diesel even in the face of a very real alien threat. As for the alien presence on the planet, it brings up a whole gigantic slate of unanswered, perplexing questions, particularly in relation to their allergy to sunlight. Then there is the amazing coincidence of the characters crash landing just before the planet is about to plunge into several days of complete darkness - but this is a pretty decent film when one focuses on trust/mistrust themes and the portrait of diverse individuals all banded together in the name of a common goal to survive. Diesel is very good too in the role that really kick-started his career; he has an awesome line towards the end about saying good night, and with his blacked-out contact lenses and designer goggles, his character leaves an indelible impression that lasts long after the movie has ended.
theroommatereview
This film has a lot of problems with its Pseudo science and CGI that other people are quick to point out when dismissing this film. However, while it may not be the most believable set of event the people in this film are very believable. Each individual character undergoes intense changes under the pressure of this alien situation. The exploration of how people act in survival situations is brilliant, and it provides a superb backdrop to the intense action that this film is full of. Its easy to call Pitch Black a dumb movie, because of the terrible sequels and the quick pace of the film. If you look closer though you can find a rich set of interactions with complex emotions being displayed. Its a lot more than what you might expect out of an sci fi action film, and still stands up as a classic in my books. If you want to hear more about these rich characters and there subtle interaction check out the video review below. There are spoilers though so beware. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwOUF9rvGlY
SnoopyStyle
The spaceship Hunter-Gratzner crashes on a desert planet. Pilot Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell) tries to take control after the captain is killed. Bounty hunter William J. Johns (Cole Hauser) is transporting prisoner Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel). There are also holy man Abu 'Imam' al-Walid (Keith David) and his young charges, antiquities dealer Paris P. Ogilvie, runaway Jack (Rhiana Griffith), John Zeke Ezekiel and Sharon 'Shazza' Montgomery (Claudia Black). They discover that the planet's 3 suns align to have a nightfall every 22 years and creatures from below rise up to massacre every creature on the surface. They are forced to rely on the killer Riddick and his night vision.This is great smallish sci-fi horror. Radha Mitchell does a nice Ripley. This reminds me a lot of Alien which I consider one of the greatest movies ever. It's got good desolate settings. Vin Diesel is the Man. This starts as an interesting character that turns into something great. The creature feature plus the darkness make this even better.
AD
