This new
installment in the Riddick franchise feels like a waste of time.
After a long wait, I was taken through a solo run that feels similar to what we
got in Pitch Black (2000), the first movie in the franchise. But
after seeing Riddick in an environment where he could run free and be a
menace—which The
Chronicles of Riddick (2004), the second installment, delivered—I
felt taken for a ride. This movie brings back odd dialogues, plain and simple
action scenes, and, worst of all, a restricted environment.
The movie does
have its highs, though. The terrain is impressive, and you can’t help but
admire the massive effort that must have gone into creating it. Plus, Riddick’s
CGI pet is just cool. It’s one of the few elements that adds a bit of charm to
an otherwise dull experience.
David Twohy and
Vin Diesel decided to take the character through a phase that might feel like
the end of the franchise. What they delivered won’t win over anyone new to the
series, and I even struggled to stay awake while watching—something you
wouldn’t expect from a Riddick movie. It’s a shame because the
potential was there, but it just didn’t deliver.
The plot has our
hero stranded on a dead planet after the events of the second movie, where he
became the Lord Marshal of the Necromongers.
Riddick found it
hard to live the caged life of a ruler. He refused to become a Necromonger,
which led many to turn against him. He strikes a deal with Commander Vaako: in
exchange for the location of Furya and a ship to take him there, Vaako would
become the next Lord Marshal.
The deal doesn’t
go as planned, and Riddick ends up stranded on a dead planet with bounty
hunters on his tail. The setup had promise, but the execution felt repetitive
and uninspired, lacking the depth and excitement of the earlier films.
I don’t feel the
acting is worth commending at all. It seems like the budget went entirely to
Vin Diesel and the CGI because the rest of the cast was below standard. Combine
that with a screenplay that starts off feeling like I Am Legend (Will
Smith, 2007), and you’ve got a movie that’s bound to bore you.
I wish I hadn’t
watched this. I can’t say I saw it coming because, honestly, I was expecting
this movie to be a hit (at least from my perspective).
If you’re feeling some Riddick blues, just rewatch The Chronicles of Riddick (2004). It’s a far better representation of what this franchise can be.
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