Mektar
Sr Member
Aslong as its not a pitch black clone.
Riddick (Post-release)
- Thread starter IBCW
- Start date
Aslong as its not a pitch black clone.
GlazyUK
Active Member
Really enjoyed Riddick, the character now seems like he wouldn't be out of place in the pages of 2000AD. I loved Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick grew on me, so I went into Riddick with high hopes, and as a bit of pulp SF adventure then it succeeded in my opinion !!! Spaceships, Alien Creatures and Katy Sakhoff, what more could a guy want !? 
Of all the films I thought would probably disappoint me the most this year “Riddick” was it. The CGI’d trailer made it look rather ropey , I didn’t buy into the premise (MORE bounty hunters /alien monsters again!!!) and I wasn’t at all convinced they could drag it away from the whole Underverse back story, even though I really quite liked the Directors cut version of the “Chronicles”.
So, overall, I’m very happy to report most of my misgivings were totally misplaced. It’s a damn good sci fi B movie! And surprisingly fun.
The first third of it works brilliantly well, as Riddick struggles for survival on a hostile world .It tucks the Necros story away very neatly very early on and then shifts up the gears quickly. Strangely the effects work well with the story, they were obviously produced on a very tight budget and they certainly got their monies worth! Later on the CGI gets a bit weaker, but if you accept it’s a pulp scifiction tale there is really not much to hate so don‘t have a pup!
The second part with the mercs is a bit more predictable all round but quite good bloody fun. Surprisingly the scene that got the loudest laugh of all was also the one that obviously got the film its “R” rating. I was shocked it wasn’t cut. The flipside of that was probably due to another event that caused the cinema to fall entirely silent in condemnation, but I guess everyone really roots for the underdog.
It was the last third that fell a bit flat for me. It played far too close to the original story of “Pitchblack” ,so I kept expecting a lot more in it from a certain person but they just sort of fell away in the end. That’s not to say I wasn’t delighted to see a bit more of them in the flesh than I was expecting but I felt they could have had a stronger part and was disappointed when they didn‘t. And whether it was the lack of funds that did it, the conclusion all felt very rushed at the end ,and, unlike the original , surprisingly light in resolution.
Regardless of that it’s a great return to form for Riddick. I came within a hairs breadth of enjoying this as much as I did “Dredd” last year and more than most of the other films that had much greater budgets. I hope it does very well. I’d certainly like to see another.
So, overall, I’m very happy to report most of my misgivings were totally misplaced. It’s a damn good sci fi B movie! And surprisingly fun.
The first third of it works brilliantly well, as Riddick struggles for survival on a hostile world .It tucks the Necros story away very neatly very early on and then shifts up the gears quickly. Strangely the effects work well with the story, they were obviously produced on a very tight budget and they certainly got their monies worth! Later on the CGI gets a bit weaker, but if you accept it’s a pulp scifiction tale there is really not much to hate so don‘t have a pup!
The second part with the mercs is a bit more predictable all round but quite good bloody fun. Surprisingly the scene that got the loudest laugh of all was also the one that obviously got the film its “R” rating. I was shocked it wasn’t cut. The flipside of that was probably due to another event that caused the cinema to fall entirely silent in condemnation, but I guess everyone really roots for the underdog.
It was the last third that fell a bit flat for me. It played far too close to the original story of “Pitchblack” ,so I kept expecting a lot more in it from a certain person but they just sort of fell away in the end. That’s not to say I wasn’t delighted to see a bit more of them in the flesh than I was expecting but I felt they could have had a stronger part and was disappointed when they didn‘t. And whether it was the lack of funds that did it, the conclusion all felt very rushed at the end ,and, unlike the original , surprisingly light in resolution.
Regardless of that it’s a great return to form for Riddick. I came within a hairs breadth of enjoying this as much as I did “Dredd” last year and more than most of the other films that had much greater budgets. I hope it does very well. I’d certainly like to see another.
crabra comander
Master Member
Do we get to see Riddick pouring more water on himself as the sun beats down on his toned body?:lol
Wouldn't do it for me but you are right about water being involved. Actually I thought Riddick looked like he HAD been enjoying himself a little too much as head Necro, but then he does try to explain he became a bit "too civilized" in their company.
Let us just say for those of us who enjoyed watching BSG ,we would all probably have enjoyed it ALOT more if there had been more of this sort of gratuitous exposure in it. By a certain person. Possibly a lady. Bucked a trend. Hell of a rack. Personally I blame "Game of Thrones".
GlazyUK
Active Member
I was surprised Riddick managed to get away with a 15 cert in the UK !!!!
Does anyone know if the story that Pitch Black was written by David Twohy as a story idea for Alien 3 had Sigourney Weaver chose not to sign aboard, is true ? I can see the basic idea would work maybe as an Alien movie, and he obviously re-wrote the idea a lot to finally get it to Pitch Black.
It's great to see Riddick done for less than $40m considering that Chronicles of Riddick was said to have cost around $105-120m.
Had the 2nd Riddick movie been pretty much just about him being hunted by Mercs, then finding out that Jack (Kyra) had been captured and sent to Crematoria and the rest of the film was him letting himself get captured by the mercs so they’d take him to where she was, and then him getting off planet with her, then it probably would have been a $30m movie in itself and more of a SF movie as opposed to a Science Fiction Fantasy,like it became.
Does anyone know if the story that Pitch Black was written by David Twohy as a story idea for Alien 3 had Sigourney Weaver chose not to sign aboard, is true ? I can see the basic idea would work maybe as an Alien movie, and he obviously re-wrote the idea a lot to finally get it to Pitch Black.
It's great to see Riddick done for less than $40m considering that Chronicles of Riddick was said to have cost around $105-120m.
Had the 2nd Riddick movie been pretty much just about him being hunted by Mercs, then finding out that Jack (Kyra) had been captured and sent to Crematoria and the rest of the film was him letting himself get captured by the mercs so they’d take him to where she was, and then him getting off planet with her, then it probably would have been a $30m movie in itself and more of a SF movie as opposed to a Science Fiction Fantasy,like it became.
Greetings,
I expect nothing from this film. It looks too much like the first one and doesn't seem to be offering anything new from the trailers I have seen.
(I pretty much feel that way about most movies nowadays)
Most of the "pro-side" comments I read here are actually on my "top ten pet peeve list" about the franchize so I'm not holding my breath. Chances are I will pass on this one so if I turn out to be dead wrong about it...I'll probably never know.
-Peace-
I expect nothing from this film. It looks too much like the first one and doesn't seem to be offering anything new from the trailers I have seen.
(I pretty much feel that way about most movies nowadays)
Most of the "pro-side" comments I read here are actually on my "top ten pet peeve list" about the franchize so I'm not holding my breath. Chances are I will pass on this one so if I turn out to be dead wrong about it...I'll probably never know.
-Peace-
Guri
Sr Member
Went and saw Riddick tonight. LOVED IT! It is so surreal to be scared for the antagonists because of what the protagonist is going to do to them! I had to remind myself; these guys are cold-blooded killers who are trying to kill the warm-blooded killer for money and he's just trying to stay alive (and keep as many of them alive as deserve/earn it).
I see what you're saying, CutThumb, about the ending, I wanted a certain exchange to have more impact than it did. It just wasn't as emotionally convincing as the similar scene in Pitch Black. And the very end, I pretty much predicted it, but honestly I was enjoying that I was right too much to be bothered by it not being a surprise.
That's all I can say without spoiling it completely. haha!
I see what you're saying, CutThumb, about the ending, I wanted a certain exchange to have more impact than it did. It just wasn't as emotionally convincing as the similar scene in Pitch Black. And the very end, I pretty much predicted it, but honestly I was enjoying that I was right too much to be bothered by it not being a surprise.
That's all I can say without spoiling it completely. haha!
Scareb
Sr Member
I saw this tonight as well. It wasn't half bad at all. The thing I noticed is that Riddick isn't as cold-hearted in this film as he was in the previous ones. It seemed like he let up on the angry loner don't **** with me attitude. He says he's become too civilized and that the planet was a good place to start new but then he goes and gets himself a cutesy-wootsey puppy (the eyes on the puppy were super corny). Now I don't mind the boy and his dog scenes and could of seen them do almost the same with the dogs in chronicles but some of the scenes were just corny. For something he raised and obviously cared about, I would of liked to see him show a little more emotion at one part.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw violence, nudity and swearing in the film as I was expecting it to be like chronicles where they want all the kids to see it (I was even more surprised at one set of "assets" shown off. This definitely helped move the series away from chronicle and made it more plausible in a sci-fi setting. I'm also hoping that with the way the left the ending that we can see more. Overall I agree, it was a good B-movie and I'm hoping to see more riddick.
I ****inf hated that religious kid though.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw violence, nudity and swearing in the film as I was expecting it to be like chronicles where they want all the kids to see it (I was even more surprised at one set of "assets" shown off. This definitely helped move the series away from chronicle and made it more plausible in a sci-fi setting. I'm also hoping that with the way the left the ending that we can see more. Overall I agree, it was a good B-movie and I'm hoping to see more riddick.
I ****inf hated that religious kid though.
Guri
Sr Member
Wow, Scareb, you and I are def a different audience... haha!
MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!
If they hadn't had the softer Riddick side showing it would would have ruined his character development arch over the series for me. And I thought what he did to the guy who killed his dog, from the Boromiresque trying to get at him to the terrifying threats of what he was going to do to the execution of it was pretty much the way Riddick shows emotion.
Absolutely I want to see his soft side of respectful interactions and rescuing of the people and animals that he believes in and that care for him, but no way do I want to see him crying over them. Not that crying is bad, but the chin dimples when Kiera died were plenty enough for me for this character... And if Riddick had shown that same level of emotion for a dog, it would have taken away what Kiera meant to him - so that aspect worked for me.
The religious kid was poorly written, totally agree. Blech. I appreciate what they were trying to do, include someone who is innocent and holy as a juxtaposition to the real evil so that they could show Riddick as not having anything against 'good' people - he is not a mindless killer... he was supposed to be a combination of Jack and the Holy guy in Pitch Black, but they really should consult a religious person before writing what they think one would do. Or leave it out. It had potential when he was letting the woman go at the beginning, but Riddick had no exchanges with that kid at all and that "I see angels" bit was dumb.
Something else I've been thinking about is Dahl (who I thought was nick named 'doll' until I just looked it up haha!)- Was Riddick able to tell through his animal instincts that she was a fake lesbian like when he smelled Jack's menstruation in Pitch Black and revealed that she was pretending to be a boy so men will leave her alone.... or were they trying to say Dahl would ask him 'sweet like' because he is just so attractive he could make her 'switch sides'?
Dahl only ever said that she didn't sleep with men, the sicko rapists were the ones who called her a lesbian... so I personally think she was just disgusted with all the men in her life, until she met Riddick. I just wish they would have made it more clear. I also have to say that it was really empowering to see her be able to defend herself, especially after what happened to Kiera and the reminder of that with the other slaved prisoner at the beginning of this.
Another aside: the shower scene with his hand reaching for Dahl, I liked the material reference a lot, but it was incredibly awkward compared to when he cut some of Fry's hair off in Pitch Black... which was scary and beautiful and touching.
MAJOR SPOILERS!!!!
If they hadn't had the softer Riddick side showing it would would have ruined his character development arch over the series for me. And I thought what he did to the guy who killed his dog, from the Boromiresque trying to get at him to the terrifying threats of what he was going to do to the execution of it was pretty much the way Riddick shows emotion.
Absolutely I want to see his soft side of respectful interactions and rescuing of the people and animals that he believes in and that care for him, but no way do I want to see him crying over them. Not that crying is bad, but the chin dimples when Kiera died were plenty enough for me for this character... And if Riddick had shown that same level of emotion for a dog, it would have taken away what Kiera meant to him - so that aspect worked for me.
The religious kid was poorly written, totally agree. Blech. I appreciate what they were trying to do, include someone who is innocent and holy as a juxtaposition to the real evil so that they could show Riddick as not having anything against 'good' people - he is not a mindless killer... he was supposed to be a combination of Jack and the Holy guy in Pitch Black, but they really should consult a religious person before writing what they think one would do. Or leave it out. It had potential when he was letting the woman go at the beginning, but Riddick had no exchanges with that kid at all and that "I see angels" bit was dumb.
Something else I've been thinking about is Dahl (who I thought was nick named 'doll' until I just looked it up haha!)- Was Riddick able to tell through his animal instincts that she was a fake lesbian like when he smelled Jack's menstruation in Pitch Black and revealed that she was pretending to be a boy so men will leave her alone.... or were they trying to say Dahl would ask him 'sweet like' because he is just so attractive he could make her 'switch sides'?
Dahl only ever said that she didn't sleep with men, the sicko rapists were the ones who called her a lesbian... so I personally think she was just disgusted with all the men in her life, until she met Riddick. I just wish they would have made it more clear. I also have to say that it was really empowering to see her be able to defend herself, especially after what happened to Kiera and the reminder of that with the other slaved prisoner at the beginning of this.
Another aside: the shower scene with his hand reaching for Dahl, I liked the material reference a lot, but it was incredibly awkward compared to when he cut some of Fry's hair off in Pitch Black... which was scary and beautiful and touching.
Scareb
Sr Member
See I don't mind that he was showing his soft side but in the previous films he did it in an almost assholish way. In this one he doesn't hide it as much. Maybe I just need to rewatch the riddick films. I was racking my brain trying to remember what went down with Jonns and Riddick in the first film. It's been a while since I watched it.
Guri
Sr Member
He does at first - when Jack imitates him he finds it humorous and sort of treats her like a puppy dog following him around (just realize that connection!) but he doesn't really care about her at all, almost walks away and lets her get eaten. But when Fry tries to save her life, that gets to him, he goes back to help - and he's mad at the 'girls' for getting to him... for breaking in a bit.
It isn't until Fry admits that she would DIE for them - the woman who was going to kill everyone to save herself has changed and he finds it 'interesting'. That is the moment I think he starts having a real 'soft side'. When Jack exclaims she never had a doubt and then Fry goes after Riddick to save him, and dies in the process - he yells 'not for me'. This is why I love these movies - he changes, big time because of other people caring for him and about him.
This is why the interaction with the dog was crucial to me - he goes through something similar with Kiera hating his guts to dying for him. The fact that other people can change I think tells Riddick he can too and it's worth it. But then he gets stuck with the wrong people... and his trust being broken sends him back to becoming an animal again. His relationship with the dog proves that he can't and doesn't want to go all the way back, he WANTS to have relationships.
Oh yeah, you must rewatch and refresh your memory!!! Johns was a pretty legendary nemesis... The big tough guy who is really a vulnerable, doped up coward. Bringing his dad into this was weird for me at first because I didn't remember his dad being mentioned - we thought maybe it was his older brother at first. Then I was cautious that maybe he would just continue the match off to give him the same old conflict... but in true well written Riddick fashion, they flipped it and had his dad being a completely different person - even worthy of Riddick's respect.
So again, they showed Riddick's character as someone who judges people independently, for what they do and how they treat him. He does not WANT to kill anyone, he holds his restraint until people prove he has no choice, or they deserve it. (Like the guy behind the lockers in this one, he lets him live and warns him)
In Riddick's eyes pretty much everyone has a clean slate and/or it can be wiped clean if they prove themselves to have character in his eyes by keeping their word to him. It is very clear he HATES trusting people because most people will double cross him, but over the course of the three movies he has come to realize that not only does he want to give people a chance to not be killed by him, he can trust people, and that when they pull through - the risk is worth it.
At one point I wanted him to say to the father something along the lines of 'you can't handle - or don't want to know what kind of person your son was...' to just let his father believe good things about his son. But Riddick speaks the truth and he respects people to be able to handle it.
Okay - I am just far too into this character. hahaha! I don't know why he fascinates me so much. I know some people say - it's just because of his muscles blah blah blah - no. There is something else to this character that I don't see in other action movies.
I'm hoping to see him go to Underverse - and that Kiera is there.
Guri, your last couple of posts with the character analysis in Riddick are some of the most thoughtful and insightful I've read for a while. Definitely more food for thought than I picked up on!! You got that ALL from just one viewing??!!! I'm slightly in awe. I'd suggest David Twohy immediately gets hold of you before he starts to write number four and Vin has you on speed dial when it comes for him to find his motivation for a scene. I don't think Riddick would ever be afraid of the dark ,but I'd wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't a bit rattled by your mind reading abilities !!!!
Guri
Sr Member
:$ wow, what a compliment! I'm really glad to share my thoughts and to have anyone appreciate it. I don't think this franchise gets the respect it deserves...
I don't do this with every movie, because most characters don't hit me like this... and most are not this consistent and original. Bad guys are bad guys, good guys are good guys... *yawn* (Part of why I liked Lost is they mixed the lines as well - people weren't good or bad, it was about their decisions and their development)
From reading Vin's Facebook page and the way he talks to his fans, feels about his family and his comments on how long they worked on this script, I honestly think what I'm getting out of it is what he means for us to get out of it. Just based on who he is as a person, I believe there is this much dept in him. Meaning - I think he has a soft heart, but he's a tough guy and so he has thought this character through and knows what he's going for with him and isn't satisfied until he gets it right. Okay, I shouldn't say he's a tough guy - from his FB page, he's a big ol' teddy bear softy through and through, he just LOOKS like a tough guy. haha!
People (meaning not his fans or hollywood types) seem to look at Vin and think he's some typical dumb muscle guy trying to use his looks to get into action movies. They probably see his softness and think it confirms their image of him being dumb. But he's not. He's really, really smart and anyone who has seen any of his other less 'blockbuster' (and blockbuster wannabe) movies knows that man is an ace actor.
I highly recommend "Find Me Guilty" where he plays an Italian, overweight, mafia boss who defends himself in a NJ trial HI-FREAKIN-LARIOUS Or "Strays" where he plays a drug dealer/gang leader who falls in love with a girl from the other side and realizes he's got to change his life, not for her, but for himself... he has a scene in there where he cries that blows my mind.
And, if you can find it, "Multi-facial" <-which he wrote, directed and stared in because nobody would hire him (this short explains why they won't hire him - racial stereotypes) and is how Spielberg discovered him.
So, while I would LOVE to consult and offer my insights just to be part of it or even talk to Vin ONCE, I truly do not believe he needs it. I would not be surprised if Vin knows everything I'm saying about Riddick... it's just too well done for him not to know.
Now, the guys who made Lost? Them I would have liked on the phone! haha!
streetjudge79
Master Member
Paul Andrew
Master Member
Is there any kind of decent explanation for how we get from the end of chronicles to yet another dangerous alien world? Only knowing what I saw in the trailer it looked a bit too much like pitch black redux to me.
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