6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Five years after the events in the film Pitch Black, escaped convict Riddick finds himself caught in the middle of a galactic war waged by Lord Marshal, the leader of a sect called the Necromongers. Riddick is charged with stopping the Necromonger army from its evil grip, meanwhile rescuing an old friend from a prison planet and evading capture by bounty hunters.
Starring: Vin Diesel, Colm Feore, Thandiwe Newton, Judi Dench, Karl UrbanAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 58% |
Thriller | 52% |
Adventure | 51% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
French (Canada): DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Bonus View (PiP)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In normal times, evil would be fought by good, but in times like these . . . well, it should be
fought by another kind of evil.
Three cheers for another "only one man can save the universe" movie. OK, not really. The
Chronicles of Riddick is a highly disappointing follow-up to 2000's Pitch Black, this
sequel foregoing all that made the original a great Science Fiction film. It lacks the originality of the
first for one, this film taking an interesting and complex character and transforming him into just
another musclebound Action hero. While the transition makes sense logically based on Riddick's
self-proclaimed transformation at the end of Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick
violates the independent feel and spirit of the first film by going down a road paved with lavish
production
values and practically incessant CGI, each frame boasting only dull characters, a bland plot, and
tiresome
action sequences. Bigger doesn't always mean better, and no truer words may be spoken when it
comes to The Chronicles of Riddick.
Look into my eyes...after you check out my huge delts.
The Chronicles of Riddick arrives on Blu-ray with a high quality 1080p transfer framed inside a 2.35:1 window. After a more depressed, dull, and colorless opening sequence, the film livens up once the action switches to Helion Prime. Color reproduction is impressive, the image basted in a slight golden hue. The many colors scattered about, primarily the reds and golds of Helion Prime, sparkle, though they later give way to the dark grays and lifeless locales of both the Necromnger ships and the harsh reds and grays of Crematoria. Detail is highly impressive throughout; whether in the long, flowing robes worn by the Imam or the revelation of every bead of sweat, pore, hair, and other markings on human faces, the disc offers plenty of clarity that sometimes borders on visual perfection. Black levels and flesh tones are nicely reproduced throughout. The Chronicles of Riddick isn't the best-looking disc available, but it ranks above many others.
The Chronicles of Riddick explodes onto Blu-ray with a high-powered DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. This track wastes no time in cranking out the goods. It is immediately impressive as powerful sound flows from the entire soundstage. The film's score is loud and clear, accompanied by thunderous bass from both the percussion section of the orchestra as well as the numerous loud and distinct sound effects. Sound swoops around the listening area in a 360-degree sound field, pouring out of the rear channels as loudly and aggressively as the front. The opening chase again features rumbling bass that punishes the best of sound systems, with impressive directionality and unforgiving bass. This level of aggressive excellence continues throughout. Rarely do more than a few minutes go by without a loud, exciting sonic sequence that flows from every speaker. While all the shootouts border on stunning, one heard in chapter eighteen makes for one of the highlights of the track. It plays sans music, and the crackle of gunfire, both loud and distant, is heard coming form every corner of the soundstage to wonderful and seemingly realistic effect. Dialogue reproduction is strong and authoritative throughout. The Chronicles of Riddick's lossless soundtrack is another masterful effort from Universal.
The Chronicles of Riddick blasts onto Blu-ray with a myriad of bonus features.
Introduction by David Twohy 480p, 0:45) features the Director discussing the process of
digitally inserting missing frames and adding new footage into the director's cut of the film. Next
is a
commentary track with Writer/Director David Twohy and Actors Karl Urban and Alexa Davalos.
The
verbose and passionate Twohy dominates the track, sharing plenty of behind-the-scenes
information. He discusses not only the on-screen action but delves into the backstory of many
scenes and shares the pertinent information as it relates to the making of the film. The other
participants chime on occasionally, (Urban more so than Davalos), and the trio make for a good
track
that fans will enjoy. A series of deleted scenes follow the commentary (480p, 8:02), again with
optional director commentary. Also available is Universal's U-Control feature, this time
with four separate picture-in-picture video tracks. The first, simply entitled Picture in
Picture, shows viewers conceptual art, behind-the-scenes footage, cast and crew interviews,
and more. Complete Chronicles is a narrated piece that takes viewers through the
history of the Riddick character with clips from the films and text-based trivia. Chronicles
Compendium allows viewers to glean further insight into the world of Riddick,
learning about the races, worlds, beliefs, and key players that factor into the films. Finally,
Anatomy of a Fight looks more deeply into Riddick's fighting strategy and the damage
various encounters wreck on the human body.
Virtual Guide to 'The Chronicles of Riddick' (480p, 7:40) features several characters
sharing further information into the Riddick universe as if reading from a diary or
historical text. Toombs' Chase Log (480p, 9:56) is a brief recounting of Toomb's mostly
unseen-in-the-film pursuit of
Riddick through the universe. Visual Effects Revealed (480p, 6:01) takes an all-too-brief
look at the making of some of the film's many visual effects and how they shape the final look
and feel of the film. Creation of New Mecca (480p, 11:12) is a multi-purpose piece that
examines the roles and personalities of the characters and the creation of some of the film's more
elaborate sets and props. Riddick Rises (480p, 13:26) looks at the evolution of the
character and the attributes he brings to the table. Keep What You Kill (480p, 17:13)
looks closely at the world of the Necromongers -- their beliefs, desires, the individuals that are
featured in the film, the make-up and props, and more. Finally, this disc is BD-Live (Blu-ray
profile 2.0) enabled.
The Chronicles of Riddick is a disappointing sequel to a great film. While it sees the return of several characters, none of them, even Riddick, are particularly compelling this time. Riddick has been turned into another run-of-the-mill hero and provided a backstory that is unoriginal at best and completely unfitting the character at worst. The film also offers tremendous attention to detail in its visual design, but often to the detriment of the story. Style dominates substance throughout, and while the stylization is noteworthy and interesting to behold, it overshadows every other aspect of the film. Universal's Blu-ray release of this lackluster film is exceptional. The disc features strong video and a reference-quality soundtrack, not to mention a plethora of bonus materials. Fans should not hesitate to pick this one up.
Limited Edition
2004
Limited Edition
2004
4K Restoration | Limited Edition
2004
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2013
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2000
2005
2018
2012
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1996
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1997
2018
2001
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2012
2014
2000
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1998
2013
2003
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2012
2010-2011
2009