RIDDICK - 2014

Trilogy’s; Why do they exist, what is it that makes a writer, director, producer, film company say to themselves “this story will be told in three parts” Why do they find it so necessary? Is it all about the financial side of things? Or is it more deep rooted and they believe that the story they have to tell is so intense it will only be given a true identity if told over time. Ever since the dawn of cinema sequels and trilogies have been made but my question for you reading this right now is. Are they necessary? Why can’t we take the entire story in just one sitting, perhaps less dialogue for those action films, or perhaps less landscape shots for the travelling films? Either way Riddick is the third instalment of the Chronicle of Riddick films written by David Twohy, who previously wrote and directed the first two instalments, Pitch Black (2000) and The Chronicles of Riddick (2004). All staring Vin Diesel as the man Riddick. I’m not sure if this particular trilogy is necessary I mean I loved the sequel The Chronicles of Riddick and kind of had high hopes for the finale.

Following on from “The Chronicles of Riddick” film of 2004 Riddick has become uneasy in his role as Lord Marshall of the Necromonger fleet. He refuses to swear into the Necromonger faith which has caused lost trust among his people. Commander Vaako wishes to take Riddick’s place as Lord Marshall so Riddick comes to an agreement with the man that he will take Riddick back to his home of Furya to live out his life. One of Vaako’s aides Krone takes Riddick and few other soldiers to the planet but it isn’t long before Riddick realises he has been played and he is in fact not on Freya but some other lost planet. Krone in an attempt to execute Riddick causes a landslide and buries Riddick alive, believing he has done what no-one else seemed capable of he then leaves the planet unaware Riddick has survived. Riddick ends up composing himself; fixing his broken leg he begins his long trek to find a way off the planet. Along the way he befriends a canine like animal as well as some alien creatures looking for their next meal. Riddick finds an abandoned mercenary station where he activates an emergency beacon in an attempt to get off the planet. The beacon ends up bringing two ships to the planet, as the time plays on a storm is getting ever closer Riddick is well aware of what that storm is bringing and needs to desperately leave the planet’s surface before it’s too late…

I’ve never been a huge fan of Vin Diesel( Need for Speed, XXX), I find him to be a perfect definition of the term “meat head” all brawn and very little brains, I mean sure he has done some decent things in the past but can you honestly say he’s one of Hollywood’s greatest stars? In saying that he doesn’t disappoint in the third instalment of The Chronicles of Riddick, his character is a meat head so I doubt any acting skills came into play whatsoever. You don’t like him, you don’t care for him, the character is lifeless, he says very little and if it wasn’t for the awesome CGI companion he meets along the way this film would be unwatchable. What I did love though was the CGI; from the aliens to the canine I thought it was outstanding, great creature designs. The locations were amazing, not exactly sure where it was shot or even if it was all green screen, either way it looked amazing. The supporting actors Karl Urban, (Star Trek, Dredd) Jordi Mollà, (Bad Boys II, Blow) Matt Nable, (Arrow, Underbelly) Katee Sackhoff, (Battlestar Galactica, Longmire) and Dave Bautista (WWE, The Man With the Iron Fists) just to mention a few were just as terrible and really did nothing on screen worth mentioning.

Riddick is a good film for what it is, it’s classed as Sci-fi not sure if I agree with that though, it defiantly has sci-fi elements to it but then so does Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s great that David Twohy returned to his original idea of Pitch Black for the final instalment with the setting and critters but due to the poor acting and even poorer storyline (especially after the second instalment which I really enjoyed and totally class as Sci-fi) I really believe this is film to watch when you have nothing else to watch and you just want to watch something mindless. Not for the kids due to very graphic death scenes.

Riddick – 2.5 out 5 BanShee Screams.

Thanks for reading.

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