The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004)

The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004)

4/10

Starring the voice of

Vin Diesel

Directed by Peter Chung

Funny enough, this franchise hasn’t really picked up, but it’s still a wonderful one. The story of Riddick is something everyone should see, and the video game that followed the release of Chronicles of Riddick, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, was totally off the hook. I absolutely love Riddick.

Pitch Black was a wonderful introduction to our owl-like friend who can see perfectly in the dark, but the movie that followed four years later, The Chronicles of Riddick, was a better film and a good follow-up.

Mr. Riddick is also featured in this half-hour animation, which serves as a bridge between the first and second movies. Many who saw Pitch Black would have been as impressed as I was with how the movie played out. The characters were well-introduced, and after the movie ended, I wondered what would become of the girl.

We had to wait four years before the makers, David Twohy with production assistance from Vin Diesel, answered that question. After the new Riddick movie was released in 2004, this animation was also released to fill some gaps between the first and second movies.

The animation style is anime, and while the animation was a bit shaky and the story not so grand, if you’ve seen the first and second movies, there’s no reason not to watch this one. The cartoon showcases more of what we love about Riddick and less of anything particularly deep.

It also focuses on solidifying the bond between Riddick and Jack, which was present in the first movie. Without seeing the first film, many viewers of the second might not understand why Riddick would stop at nothing to bring down the Necromongers.

In this animation, our hero Riddick, Imam, and Jack have escaped the planet from Pitch Black and are picked up by a mercenary ship. There, they encounter the ship’s owner, Antonia Chillingsworth, who is obsessed with collecting criminals and adding them to her “library.” She captures them, freezes them, and keeps them as statues, which she views as art.

Although the criminals are frozen, they remain alive and conscious. Antonia sees Riddick as a masterpiece—a work of art she must have. In her desire to watch him kill using his unique ability to see in the dark, she makes the mistake of releasing Riddick and pitting him against some strange machinery. This leads to a series of unfortunate events that allow Riddick, Imam, and Jack to escape.

In the end, this animation doesn’t make you hate the franchise, but it doesn’t make you love it either. It’s not a must-watch, but if you’re preparing for the new Riddick movie coming out later this year, you might as well add it to your viewing list.