The Chronicles of Riddick Blu-ray delivers stunning video and reference-quality audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
It is a dark time in the universe. Planet after planet is falling to an unholy army of
Necromongers--conquering warriors who offer ravaged worlds a simple choice--convert or
die. Those who refuse their rule hope in vain for someone or something that will slow the
spread of Necromongers. But rebels are short-lived and saviors, it seems, are in short
supply. When things get bad, weary survivors turn to myths for comfort--murmured
propheciesm, vain hopes, legends of good vanquishing evil. But good isn't always the
antidote to evil and legends can be wrong. Sometimes the only way to stop evil is not with
good--but with another kind of evil. So an unlikely figure is summoned from exile and
asked to join the fight: Riddick, who couldn't care less who's in charge of the universe, just
as long as he's left along. Since leaving a god-forgotten (and creature-ridden) planet in the
Tauras system five years ago, the wanted fugitive hasn't looked back. Most of the time has
been spent evading capture and ghosting whatever mercenaries are on his tail. To him, it's
all the same, apocalype or no--this one-man army is interested only in saving his own life.
Get in his way and his gladly take yours. But something has been set in motion, and the
coming confrontation propels Riddick into a series of epic, winner-take-all battles: from an
idyllic, multicultural civilizaton under seige; to a subterranean prison carved beneath the
surface of a hellish, volcanic planet; and finally, aboard the massive baroque Necro
motherhship and the seat of power in their black empire--the Basilica. In the final battle, it
is foretold that the fate of all may depend upon the destiny of on Furyan.
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.
After escaping the unending night and deadly creatures of Pitch Black, Riddick (Vin
Diesel, xXx), finds himself on
the run from a new bounty hunter, Toombs (Nick Chinlund), and learns that the one man he
entrusted with his whereabouts -- Imam al-Walid (Keith David, Delta Farce) -- has
betrayed his location. Riddick heads to Helion Prime where he confronts the Imam, who in turn
tells Riddick
that the fate of the entire universe is at stake. A race of powerful beings known as
Necromongers, who hope to conquer the universe and enter another dimensions known as the
"Underverse," have next in their sites Helion Prime. Riddick soon learns from an Elemental
named Aereon (Judi Dench, Quantum of Solace)
that he is the embodiment of a prophesy that foretells of a Furyon saving the universe from the
Necromongers. Riddck must choose between standing on the sidelines or defeating true evil in
the universe before it's too late.
In this film's defense, the Riddick character is carried over from the first one with few alterations
to
his psychological make-up. In Pitch Black, the character slowly transforms from
hardened,
viscous, and unrepentant killer ("escaped convict, murderer," being the exact words Riddick uses
to
describe himself) to a hero with a conscience, and in The Chronicles of Riddick,
information
slowly comes to light that paints him as a man now concerned for the welfare of others,
particularly those he trusts,
even to his own detriment. So, The Chronicles of Riddick gets its main character right,
but
it seems to get just about everything else wrong. The film feels like something of a cross
between
Star Wars and Dune when it
comes
to the backstory created for Riddick. Of course, he can no longer just be a bodybuilding
criminal-turned-hero
with a "surgical shine job." The story requires of him more than physical strength, cunning, and
night vision to save the universe, so it is revealed that he is of a line of peoples that a prophesy
foretells will put an end to the tyranny and devastation wrought by the evil Necromongers.
Riddick instantly transforms from a mysterious, strong, cunning, and even cool character to just
another hero that -- surprise, surprise -- will save the universe one sliced-up bad guy at a time.
Despite the added layers, there is no depth to the character this go-round, and even his best lines
are recycled from the first film ("cute kid" and "you're not afraid of the dark, are you?"), serving
as a nice homage to those still paying attention whenever they crop up in Chronicles.
The Chronicles of Riddick foregoes the utilitarian and desolate world of Pitch
Black in favor of intricately constructed and detailed starships, cities, and enemy army
uniforms. Because Pitch Black only focused on an insignificant sliver of the whole
universe, it stands to reason that most anything presented in a sequel that vastly expands the
scope of the timeframe could conceivably exist. The visuals in most every scene are impressive,
offering a scope that is nothing short
of immense and highly detailed. Director David Twohy has created entire worlds that revel in
intricate detail, a true asset in selling a film such as this. That also may be the film's biggest
downfall. Often, it just feels too lavish and lush. The sweeping vistas and massive starships
seem too artsy, complex, and involved, and it seems like the film's visuals and production design
were the driving force behind the film rather than a strong, original plot. Indeed, "complex" and
"involved" describe the plot very well. It's too detailed and convoluted for what is ultimately a
flashy Action/Sci-Fi picture, and there is no real sense of cohesion or flow. The film is sluggishly
paced, and although it offers an abundance of action sequences, they all begin to mesh together,
none of them playing as the least bit memorable. The Chronicles of Riddick is a classic
example of style over substance, and while the film earns high marks for its visuals, a lackluster
story, dull characters, and repetitive action sequences rank it far lower than its esteemed
predecessor.
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.
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