cinemabon
09-06-2013, 01:42 PM
“Riddick” directed by David Twohy
Science Fiction has had a strong year with several space dramas that have splashed across the silver screen. “Riddick” is Universal’s latest offering opening today with David Twohy at the helm directing this third installment in the series he started. Less a film about a man against the world and more a film of a man against a world – as this setting is unlike any ecosystem we’ve yet to encounter. There is nothing here but very hostile organisms bent on making Riddick dinner. And for the most part, the film is a one man show with Diesel showing what a strong guy he is. Shocking though it may seem, the ruggedly handsome virile actor turned 46 this year, though on screen and I would say even in person, still kicks ass as a much younger man. I wish he made more films where he could shine as he does here. That said, there are gaping holes in the rest of the film that deserve more scrutiny.
As we last left Riddick, he was “king” of the Necromancers with Karl Urban’s character (reprised) nipping at his heels. Promising to deliver the “furyon” to his home planet, Riddick is tricked and taken to a hostile planet where he is ambushed. Using his wits, he learns to survive the hostile environment until he witnesses a terrible event that convinces Riddick, “It’s time we leave this rock.”
Riddick uses an emergency beacon, which calls bounty hunters seeking his hide. Playing a cat and mouse game, Riddick eliminates most of his competition but not before the Armageddon of monsters arrives, threatening to strand all those on the planet.
Riddick is an action picture that relies heavily on the presence of its star, Vin Diesel. What’s great about the film is that Diesel has great screen presence and exudes a machismo that appeals to both men and women. Diesel’s Riddick is put through the paces and forced to mend broken legs and even cauterize wounds with molten rocks – things that would put ordinary men (or women) on a cold slab. Nothing and no one is safe on this hostile desert planet and in the end the spark of humanity that arises almost comes too late the save the film’s ending.
I was riveted all through the picture until the never-ending battle with the monsters seemed to drag on far too long. Instead of getting to the point, the pointless banter between Riddick and a father out for revenge gets too bogged down in semantics to be useful as a “salvation” point at the end.
“Riddick” is one of the best visually stunning science fiction films in a very long time. Creating a world from scratch isn’t easy. Just ask James Cameron when he had to build “Avatar” from scratch. But this world isn’t full of pretty pictures. This is a very hostile place where – if there was a civilization, as relics would assume – they had long vanished when some terrible change took place.
Katee Sackhoff (Dahl), Matt Nable (Johns), and Karl Urban (Vaako) make credible supporting actors, carrying their scenes. Whereas Jordi Molla as Santana comes across as the horrible stereotypical Hispanic badass we’ve seen in a hundred movies going back to the 1960’s. This is usually the fault of the script or the director. David Eggby’s cinematography is outstanding with several foreground/background juxtaposition shots that demonstrate his ability to properly frame groups and Eggby lights this film in a way that makes it all seem very seamless and natural. There are no shadows on the ground. No light flares in the camera and very few tricks – just some great steady shots, avoiding overuse of steady cam. Production designer Joseph Nemec (Terminator 2) and Art director Jean-Andre Carriere along with Visual Effects by Behold 3D and Comen VFX and Method Studios have given us a visual feast from which we may freely drink, even though Riddick may not. Even Graeme Revell’s score is a pleasant change of pace from the pounding my ears took in “Elysium.”
A fast paced popcorn muncher, Towhy’s third “Riddick” is mostly fun and mostly enjoyable and very adult (graphic nudity and violence) but an unusual romp into the world of science fiction. Now we also had another film this year about survival on a hostile world (“After Earth”) which I did not see. Therefore I find it difficult to make comparisons. Perhaps those on this site who have seen both can make that comparison. Slightly recommended, just like pasta with clam sauce – not my favorite but different.
Science Fiction has had a strong year with several space dramas that have splashed across the silver screen. “Riddick” is Universal’s latest offering opening today with David Twohy at the helm directing this third installment in the series he started. Less a film about a man against the world and more a film of a man against a world – as this setting is unlike any ecosystem we’ve yet to encounter. There is nothing here but very hostile organisms bent on making Riddick dinner. And for the most part, the film is a one man show with Diesel showing what a strong guy he is. Shocking though it may seem, the ruggedly handsome virile actor turned 46 this year, though on screen and I would say even in person, still kicks ass as a much younger man. I wish he made more films where he could shine as he does here. That said, there are gaping holes in the rest of the film that deserve more scrutiny.
As we last left Riddick, he was “king” of the Necromancers with Karl Urban’s character (reprised) nipping at his heels. Promising to deliver the “furyon” to his home planet, Riddick is tricked and taken to a hostile planet where he is ambushed. Using his wits, he learns to survive the hostile environment until he witnesses a terrible event that convinces Riddick, “It’s time we leave this rock.”
Riddick uses an emergency beacon, which calls bounty hunters seeking his hide. Playing a cat and mouse game, Riddick eliminates most of his competition but not before the Armageddon of monsters arrives, threatening to strand all those on the planet.
Riddick is an action picture that relies heavily on the presence of its star, Vin Diesel. What’s great about the film is that Diesel has great screen presence and exudes a machismo that appeals to both men and women. Diesel’s Riddick is put through the paces and forced to mend broken legs and even cauterize wounds with molten rocks – things that would put ordinary men (or women) on a cold slab. Nothing and no one is safe on this hostile desert planet and in the end the spark of humanity that arises almost comes too late the save the film’s ending.
I was riveted all through the picture until the never-ending battle with the monsters seemed to drag on far too long. Instead of getting to the point, the pointless banter between Riddick and a father out for revenge gets too bogged down in semantics to be useful as a “salvation” point at the end.
“Riddick” is one of the best visually stunning science fiction films in a very long time. Creating a world from scratch isn’t easy. Just ask James Cameron when he had to build “Avatar” from scratch. But this world isn’t full of pretty pictures. This is a very hostile place where – if there was a civilization, as relics would assume – they had long vanished when some terrible change took place.
Katee Sackhoff (Dahl), Matt Nable (Johns), and Karl Urban (Vaako) make credible supporting actors, carrying their scenes. Whereas Jordi Molla as Santana comes across as the horrible stereotypical Hispanic badass we’ve seen in a hundred movies going back to the 1960’s. This is usually the fault of the script or the director. David Eggby’s cinematography is outstanding with several foreground/background juxtaposition shots that demonstrate his ability to properly frame groups and Eggby lights this film in a way that makes it all seem very seamless and natural. There are no shadows on the ground. No light flares in the camera and very few tricks – just some great steady shots, avoiding overuse of steady cam. Production designer Joseph Nemec (Terminator 2) and Art director Jean-Andre Carriere along with Visual Effects by Behold 3D and Comen VFX and Method Studios have given us a visual feast from which we may freely drink, even though Riddick may not. Even Graeme Revell’s score is a pleasant change of pace from the pounding my ears took in “Elysium.”
A fast paced popcorn muncher, Towhy’s third “Riddick” is mostly fun and mostly enjoyable and very adult (graphic nudity and violence) but an unusual romp into the world of science fiction. Now we also had another film this year about survival on a hostile world (“After Earth”) which I did not see. Therefore I find it difficult to make comparisons. Perhaps those on this site who have seen both can make that comparison. Slightly recommended, just like pasta with clam sauce – not my favorite but different.