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Stars:
Vin Diesel, Colm Feore, Thandie Newton, Judi Dench, Karl Urban, Alexa Davalos,
Linus Roache, Yorick van Wageningen, and Nick Chinlund
Writer:
David Twohy
Based
On Characters By: Jim Wheat and Ken Wheat
Director:
David Twohy
Feature
length: 134 minutes
Extras:
Audio Commentary With Writer/Director David Twohy and Actors Karl Urban and
Alexa Davalos, Director’s Introduction, Deleted Scenes With Optional
Director’s Commentary, 360 Degree Views Of The Sets, Playable Demo Of “The
Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay For The Microsoft Xbox, Virtual
Guide To The Chronicles Of Riddick, Riddick Insider Facts On Demand Pop-up Text
Comments, Visual Effects Featurette, Toombs Chase Log
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Captions and French and Spanish Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 28
Sound:
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2004/DVD Release: 2004
Theatrical
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Universal Studios Home Video
MPAA
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Five
years have past since the events in “The
Chronicles Of Riddick: Pitch Black” and “The
Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Fury.” The worlds of humanity have been
targeted and systematically wiped out by the Necromongers, a fanatical religious
army on a crusade to cleanse the universe of all human life because it believes
that human sentient life in the known universe is a mistake. In another parallel
dimension they call the “UnderVerse” they believe humanity is destined to
restart there. It is a mysterious place where it is said that the dead rise
again to new life. Those who cannot be converted are destroyed and great
conquest icons are left behind each world they visit and destroy. It is their
calling card. Only one race of humans poses a threat to the Necromonger crusade
and Riddick happens to be one of the last few surviving warriors of this species
known as Furyans. So a bounty is placed on his head to drive him out of hiding.
Riddick traces the bounty to the one person who knew where he was going to live
in self-exile, the holy man Imam (Keith David), one of two people Riddick had
saved years earlier. When Riddick confronts Imam, he is introduced to another
strange member of an offshoot of humanity referred to as The Elementals. The
Elementals present an image of being neutral observers with only the wish for a
balance to be kept in all things. However it is rumored that they have their own
secret agenda as well. Aereon (Judi Dench) is an air elemental. The atoms of her
body seem to become translucent when the wind blows. When Riddick learns of the
true reason he has been driven out of hiding, he tries to resist the calling to
confront his destiny, but between the Necromonger invasion, bounty hunters hot
on his trail, and a spiteful young woman from Riddick’s past looking to get a
piece of him for herself, he becomes the unlikely chosen one to change the
course of humanity’s future forever.
Writer
and Director David Twohy is to be commended for his ambitious plans to expand
the “Riddick Universe” beyond what film fans originally experienced in
“Pitch Black.” He has created a wondrous mythology that calls to mind
various elements of other literary and feature film franchises. In some ways the
Necromongers are a cross between fanatical Knights on crusade in the Holy Land
during the Dark Ages and yet their belief system is somewhat Gnostic. I am not a
Gnostic and what I know of it is limited, but if I am correct, Gnostics believe
that creation is a trap and the trick is to liberate one’s self from that trap
spiritually. There are variations on this belief that can be seen in Buddhism as
well. So although the Necromongers are fanatical and tyrannical, they see
themselves as doing their God’s will. Thus we have a great group of villains
because the best and scariest ones are those who believe they are truly right.
The sets and costume designs are some of the most elaborate ever produced for a
sci-fi film since David Lynch’s 1984 feature film adaptation of Frank
Herbert’s “Dune.” Riddick is sort of a cross between Snake Plissken and
Conan The Barbarian. The film’s story structure seems to call both feature
film characters to mind and yet if you watch both “Pitch Black” and “The
Chronicles Of Riddick” closely, the films are structurally very similar with
story points that echo the first film.
This
was originally intended to be the first part of a proposed trilogy of films and
on the audio commentary that is exclusive to the Unrated Director’s Cut, Twohy
does hint at what could come though there is no mention of a sequel in the works
at all. I’d sure love to find out what happens next so if there are no more
films, I hope Twohy will at least commission books that would conclude the story
for fans. As it is now, we have a tragedy as Twohy states in the commentary
track. However we only know as much as Twohy has let us know based on the two
live action films, videogame prequel to the first film, animated feature, and
the novels. Think of how differently the “Star Wars Saga” seems now that
George Lucas has just about completed his prequel trilogy or take into
consideration the great payoff the recent SCI FI Channel miniseries “Farscape:
The Peacekeeper Wars” has had on the series as a whole. I think we can’t
judge “The Chronicles Of Riddick” fully until we’ve seen the whole thing
and the proof of this is in the putting by this superior extended version found
only on the Unrated Director’s Cut DVD.
The
additional fifteen minutes reedited into the film makes a huge difference as we
get to learn more about the characters and see characters that were never even
introduced in the theatrical cut. We also get a better understanding of the
relationships between them too. As far as I’m concerned this is the way the
film should be seen and anyone who felt iffy about the theatrical version should
give the Director’s Cut a spin. This is a case where the bonus materials truly
enhance the film and enrich the world for the viewers to enjoy. Since this is a
review of a film that has not yet been released by Universal Studios Home Video
and since not everyone even checked out the film when it opened in theaters this
past June, I am limited in making any direct comments regarding the action and
the changes between the theatrical version and the Unrated Director’s Cut
because of spoilers, but my only caveat with regard to the Director’s Cut is
while the film’s conclusion still packs a jolt, it is a bit abrupt and too
dark for what is already a very dark film. I liked the irony of the way the
theatrical version concluded better and I wish the theatrical version’s ending
was offered among the deleted scenes section as an alternate ending especially
since the deleted scenes are mostly alternate takes that were unused and reshot
with what is now in both versions of the film to some extent.
With
Karl Urban commenting via satellite from New Zealand while Alexa Davalos and
David Twohy appear to be present at the recording session together, this is a
solid screen specific commentary that delves deeply into the character
relationships as well as why certain elements of the film appear as they do from
the Director’s standpoint. Twohy also provides optional commentary for a reel
of three deleted and alternate scenes involving the arrival of Aereon on Helion
Prime, the original chase sequence on planet U.V. 6, and an alternate conclusion
for what happens to the bounty hunter Toombs in the story (8:03). These scenes
do not have completed special effects and are presented in a letterboxed
(2.40:1) aspect ratio with English Stereo Sound. There is also a pop-up type
optional text commentary that gives even more background on the characters and
worlds of the “Riddick Universe” as well as background information on the
making of the film.
The
Unrated Director’s Cut of “The Chronicles Of Riddick” presents the film
with an outstanding anamorphic widescreen (2.40:1) presentation along with a
very well rounded and discrete English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack
With the exclusive audio and text commentaries present as well as the deleted
scenes, there are no additional language options, however the theatrical version
is supposed to include a French and Spanish Language dubbed Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround selection. Both versions feature English Captions for the hearing
impaired and French and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as well.
Unfortunately a DTS Soundtrack option is not available for either DVD release. I
prefer DTS to Dolby Digital and sincerely wish Universal Studios Home Video had
made this a two-disc set that way all the bonus features could be kept and a DTS
track could have been added. At least the picture and sound quality is quite
good as is though so I doubt casual viewers will be disappointed by it.
When
you first see the interactive menus, you will see the Lord Marshall’s Helmet.
Depending on whether you choose to “Convert” or to “Fight” the
interactive menus will either take the viewer within the Basilica or to the
scorched surface of the planet Crematoria. The menus are easy to navigate,
feature animated transitions, and even some scenes from the film. Overall these
are very well rendered interactive menus and quite impressive for a standard DVD
release. The balance of the bonus features includes information on various
items, places and characters from the film narrated by respective actors in
character to give their own point of view of what one is seeing in the film.
Sometimes one gets two different characters describing the same item in a
different way. One can listen to these descriptions individually or as a whole.
The Virtual Guide includes explanations of the Conquest Icon, Planet Crematoria,
Elementals, Planet U.V. 6, The Lord Marshall, Necromongers, Necropolis, New
Mecca, and The Quasi-Deads. There’s
also a narrated log of Toomb’s 92-day quest to find Riddick that leads up to
the opening scenes from the film (9:56) and 360-degree interactive self guided
explorations of eight of the sets from the film along with a quick featurette
with Vin Diesel giving a guided tour (3:12). A visual effects featurette (6:02)
and a reel of previews (4:01) that include sneak peeks at “Drunken Jackasses:
The Quest,” “The Bourne Supremacy,” “Earth Sea,” and the “Happy
Gilmore/Billy Madison Collection” wrap up the DVD-Video features on this disc.
If
you have a Microsoft Xbox, you will have access to a playable level from the hit
game “The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay.” The disc is also
InterActual enhanced for DVD-ROM users. An ambitious sci-fi action feature truly
made better than ever before, “The Chronicles Of Riddick: Unrated Director’s
Cut: Widescreen” will debut on DVD-Video at retailers on and offline on
Tuesday, November 16, 2004 courtesy of Universal Studios Home Video.
©
Copyright 2004 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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