It was a decade ago when Pitch Black was released in theaters. Little did we know at the time that the character of Riddick would be expanded upon with another film and content outside of both movies. For now though, we’ll focus on the movie that started it all with nighttime baddies galore, Pitch Black.
Film ![]()
The film starts off with a transport ship innocently gliding through the depths of deep space. There are a handful of passengers on board, each in a cryogenic stasis to weather the burdens of extensive travel in a literal no-man’s-land. The ship suddenly finds itself in the path of stray space debris which compromises the hull. The vessel begins its unintended rapid descent to the desert world below, cooked by three suns that provide seemingly incessant daylight.
Riddick (Vin Diesel) happens to be a passenger on board that is unique amongst the others…he is a felon. He makes his escape amidst the wreckage while the rest of the survivors, in their worrisome panic, search feverishly for both Riddick and water. It doesn’t take the ship’s passengers long to realize that they are not the only inhabitants on the planet. One by one, they slowly get picked off by the nocturnal winged creatures that reside underground, surfacing only when that rare moment of night envelops the planet. These vicious feeders arguably rival most of the other sci-fi monsters to have graced the big screen, even H.R. Giger’s Alien (I know I’ll catch some flack for that one, but hey, the Aliens couldn’t fly). Hunting in massive packs with teeth sharper than a Turbo Ginsu, the local wildlife make quick work of their prey.
As for the story itself, it is unique but lacks a big punch that normally makes you want to buckle up for the whole ride. I can’t put my finger on it but much of Pitch Black is like drinking soda without the fizz. There’s still some minute satisfaction, but ultimately you long for more substance. I really did not find myself identifying with any of the characters, so whether they became bat food or made it to the exit, I didn’t care. Will Riddick make it off the planet? Will the rest of the passengers survive? You’ll just have to give it a watch…oh, and you may want to leave a light on…just to be safe.
Video ![]()
Unfortunately, the video quality did not match up with that of its cohort; The Chronicles of Riddick. The grain was quite visible in the dark scenes and as night fell with the film’s progression, the dancing grain became even more prominent. The video imperfections did serve as a distraction at times, which is regrettable because there were some scenes that did offer the pristine clarity you will see in The Chronicles of Riddick. Pitch Black is brought to us in the same 1080p VC-1 encode that Chronicles delivered. I guess it’s just proof that the encode isn’t the be-all, end-all of the video quality.
Audio ![]()
The audio was impressive and the distant thud of feet landing behind someone in the sand, coupled with the later effects of the nocturnal bat monsters (I honestly do not know what else to call them) swooping about was an enjoyable experience. The dialogue comes across in a very clear manner without the listener needing to strain or find the rewind button. Whether it’s a ship breaking up in re-entry or raindrops meeting a puddle below, the DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio does a fine job of taking you to this desolate planet and engaging all the ferocious natives it has to offer.
Special Features ![]()
Ugh! That’s two discs in a row that Universal has done this. They provide an impressive array of extras, but they’re pretty much all in standard definition. Have I mentioned how disappointing that looks on a high definition television?
- My Scenes – (SD) Bookmark your favorite scenes from the film.
- An Introduction by David Twohy - (SD) Direct David Twohy provides some quick but interesting background information on the filming of Pitch Black (2:25).
- The Game is on – (SD) An extended trailer of the new video game, “The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay” (1:49).
- Johns’ Chase Log - (SD) Viewers get to hear the audio diary of Johns (Cole Hauser), the bounty hunter pursuing Riddick. The documented chase takes place during a time before the movie (7:12).
- The Making of Pitch Black - (SD) The title of this featurette says it all (4:44).
- Dark Fury: Advancing the Arc - (SD) This extra gives fans a look at the animated film starring Vin Diesel that takes place in a time immediately following Pitch Black (1:30).
- The Chronicles of Riddick Visual Encyclopedia – (SD) Similar in concept to “Johns’ Chase Log,” this extra provides recorded narrative relevant to the back-story of Pitch Black (2:18).
- A View Into the Dark – (SD) Here we have a featurette that includes interviews with Vin Diesel and David Twohy, as they discuss the evolution of Riddick (4:06).
- Feature Commentary with Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser and Director David Twohy - (HD)
- Feature Commentary with Director David Twohy, Producer Tom Engleman and Visual Effects Supervisor Peter Chiang - (HD)
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Outside of the ‘Extras’ menu is the increasingly common BD-Live feature along with the U-Control option. With U-Control, fans of the film can access picture-in-picture and the backstage item known as “Pitch Black Raw.”
Final Thoughts ![]()
Pitch Black has the right chemistry for being a great film. It’s suspenseful, it’s gritty and it has a big name attached to it in Vin Diesel. However, it just seems that the match was lit too early. There wasn’t enough dynamite put down in time (figuratively speaking) in this movie to give it a big enough bang. Maybe it’s because the film was rushed. It was, after all, shot in a mere 60 days. That is impressive to say the least, but a hurried schedule can have a negative outcome on the final product. It’s definitely worth a rental but spending your hard-earned dollars, pesos or euros on this to own, may be a decision best revisited before executing. Don’t shut it off and leave yourself in the dark. Give Pitch Black a chance, but don’t expect greatness.
