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Pitch Black (Full Screen Director's Cut)

Pitch Black (Full Screen Director's Cut)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $13.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Pitch Black - A movie to watch over and over again!
Review:
I absolutely loved this movie. I watched it at least 5 times. The story is one of a kind and it happenend in an exotic and unique setting. I enjoyed this movie very much. I strongly recommend it!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Superior Science Fiction Action
Review: The first entry in what has been dubbed, a couple of years after "Pitch Black"'s release, the "Chronicles Of Riddick" series, this sci-fi/action/horror hybrid features more of an ensemble cast of characters than its 2004 "Chronicles" theatrical sequel, which focuses almost entirely around Vin Diesel's Riddick character. Here, the other characters take more active roles, though Riddick is still the central figure, a convicted mass killer who it's insinuated, more between the lines than anything, may have more extenuating circumstances in his history than would appear on the surface.

The thrust of the movie is about a deep-sleep passenger spaceship crashlanding on an arid, out-of-the-way planet, stranding Riddick, the bounty hunter who brought him in, and about a dozen other survivors. The world has 3 suns, leaving it in almost perpetual daylight, and it's here that the cinematography and other technical aspects really shine, making the world look quite alien; as the suns make their way across the sky a different light is prominent at different times, casting the world in different colors as time progresses, with the ghostlike all-encompassing 'white' stage most memorable. Even if you're not into the action and the monsters and the rest of the movie, fans who appreciate visual magnificence in cinema have got to see this one just for the sunlight effects on the bone-laden terrain.

It's not Always daylight though; once every 22 years the planets and suns aligh for a prolonged eclipse, at which point come the monsters from under the ground, every bit as ferociously impressive as the title beasts in "Aliens" or "Predator", and almost stealing the show completely if not for the impressive, way-beyond-stereotypical characterizations of the endangered survivors. Great action, superior suspense, top-tier performances (including arguably Diesel's best to date) and innovative special effects set this one up near the top of the pile in the crowded field of sci-fi actioneers. Its only real weakness is a rather heavy reliance on coincidence, which given the aforementioned strengths is certainly tolerable. Chalk it up to fate anyway, given "Chronicles"'s bringing into the flow a heavy dose of fate and destiny anyway. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Surpasses expectations! Interesting characters and story
Review: "Pitch Black" starts out like dozens of other movies; a small group of humans survives a crash landing on a seemingly deserted planet and discovers the remains of a human settlement. Then some nasty aliens show up. Luckily this movie quickly gets past the clichés. Sunlight is lethal to the aliens and this planet has three suns. The discovery that there's a total eclipse every 22 years and the next one is on the horizon gives the movie its jolt.

The main surprises in "Pitch Black" are the characters. Instead of the typical cast of hero, agitator and victims, the writers did a great job of making each distinct and memorable. The meatiest role is the one of Riddick, played by Vin Diesel, a killer with the strength and personality of an alien monster himself. Riddick has a wonderfully ominous voice, the best lines in the film, a great presence, and coincidentally he's got surgically enhanced eyes that allow him to see in the dark. There are some other conveniences like that and a few inconsistencies but the film stays on target well.

I'm growing tired of seeing computer generated effects but I enjoyed them here, particularly the way these aliens move in mass. It's like watching an enormous flock of birds or swarm of insects--more realistic than the animation in "The Mummy Returns" but not as good as "Jurassic Park". The best shot in the film is one of the monsters lit up for a split second while closing in on a guy who ends up being dinner. There are some beautiful horizon shots of the eclipsing planet's rings which take a great deal of photographic liberty. (Two planets couldn't possibly be that close without one of them suffering real damage and you don't have to know much science to know that.)

Despite the problems, "Pitch Black" is a better film than you'd expect it to be and could easily become cult favorite. Fans of Vin Diesel or science fiction films like the original "Alien" will enjoy watching this one more than once.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fun with Vin
Review: After watching the trailler for "The Riddick chronicles" and finding out that it was a kind of a sequel, I went after the first movie in the Riddick series. I usualy like science fiction movies, but I don't expect them all to be great movies. So, in this way, "Pitch Black" was a very good surprise. The only other science fiction movie that surprised me as much as this one (I was expecting little and got more than I thought I would) is "Event horizon".

The plot is not original: a spaceship transporting a group of people crashes in a seemingly deserted planet. Soon, they discover that the planet had been previously reached by human beings, but now they're all gone. What happened? When they find a model showing them that the planet is immersed in a total eclypse every twenty-two years (and the cycle will be closing very soon again) they start to worry.

Right, there are many incoherent situations and plot holes in "Pitch black", but there are three things that make this movie good: 1. Most of the characters are well-developed, each with his or her own singularities; when they start to die (as they will obviously do) and the troubles begin, the viewer cares for them. 2. Director David Twohy knows how to build the tension on screen, using the lights/no-lights situations; also, the visual effects of the "natural inhabitants" of the planets are very effeective to the audience. 3. Vin Diesel surprised me once again as an actor full of resources, even if always basing his characters on a macho figure; for an example, Caparzo (from "Saving Private Ryan"), Varik (from "Boiler Room") and Riddick may look alike, but if you think well, you'll find out that each has its own personality: Caparzo as the bearlish friend you can always count with, Varik as a tough but gentle guy, and Riddick as a mean, cool and violent outlaw.

So, that is to say that "Pitch black" was a nice surprise, and now I want to watch "The Riddick chronicles". "Pitch black" was deservedly nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film in 2000 (lost to "The matrix").

Grade 8.2/10

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brilliant Low Budget Sci-Fi thriller
Review: Crash landing on a dry planet, a motley crew of space travellers have to band together and find a way of getting a convicted criminal (Diesel) to use his amazing speed and fighting skills to get them off planet.
A very enjoyable prequel to The Chronicles of Riddick.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Pitch Black (2000)
Review: Director: David Twohy
Cast: Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David, Claudia Black.
Running Time: 107 minutes.
Rated R for violence and language.

Obviously, "Pitch Black" is a major rip-off of "Alien" or any other monster/alien/ghost film ever made. With that criticism set aside, this film, directed by David Twohy, is highly entertaining and devilishly dark at the same time. The film revolves around a group of space vessel inhabitants who stumble upon an unknown planet that has three suns. The amount of suns; however, is not the most unusual spectacle on the planet, for they are stalked by ravenous flying creatures that thrive on darkness.

With the help from Vin Diesel as the creepy, blinded warrior, Riddick, the crew must figure out how to not only survive on this horrific planet, but somehow leave before a solar eclipse wipes out all light from the planet and allows the flesh-eating monsters to have more exposure. Excellent special effects and some interesting cinematography, but this action-packed science-fiction romp is hampered by sub-par acting peformances and a mediocre script. Certainly not the worst of its kind, but because they are so many of its kind, "Pitch Black" seems overdone, less original, and only moderately satisfying. The Unrated Version has a few minutes of extra footage that are very entertaining and add to the only mediocre story. It is a fine addition to the film and it would have been beneficial to have it in the theatrical release.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: One Of My Favorite Movies...Wost Special Edition Ever
Review: I am a huge fan of Pitch Black. This is one of the greatest reasons I purchased the special edition. Big mistake. You can save alot of money if you just buy the original on DVD. This is by far the worst "Special Edition DVD." I have ever encountered. The Bonus Features are on average about 1 minute long. The Picture quality is the same and the missing scenes are nothing you would care about missing. I can just see some big wig saying "hey let's just throw together this movie with a few commercials for the game, upcoming movie and 20 seconds of making of footage and make a quick buck off these sucker fans of ours." Even the "Encycolopedia" is an outright insult to anyone. Poorly done, this narrated encycolopedia has 3-4 concept art sketches and lasts about 20 seconds. RETARDED AND A HUGE DISSAPOINTMENT. Definately buy this movie...just not the Special Edition if you dont have to. Vin Diesel-your new game is awesome but how could you let them do this... Its like spitting in our faces.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Nothing new to see here!
Review: I bought the Unrated Director's Cut of this film with great anticipation. I loved the theatrical release of Pitch Black. It is one of my favorite science fiction films, hands down.

But the Unrated Director's Cut? Is a waste of money. The additions to the film were so few and so subtle, I barely noticed them. The Unrated part? More violence? Not noticeably. More cussing? More bare skin? No, neither of those. And the extras? Are almost non-existent. There's nothing on this DVD that I didn't get on the first one, except some hype about the sequel, and not even that was very convincing. Seriously, if you already own this film on DVD, don't waste your money on this reissue.

If you don't own this film on DVD, see if you can find the original release. At least it has the theatrical trailers.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: waste of time
Review: i did not see this at the theatre, and don't recall if it was at the theatre, however i did notice the alien type filming, but also sorta reminded me of mad max due to the accents of the characters, and t he desert envionment.
this film should have been made at a faster pace, to slow, and to dumb of actors speaking just to comsume time.
after 1 hour..i stopped it, and got it ready to ship back to the rental company...! vin diesel was ok, not super crazy about him.. or see what other's see in his acting ability.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Will not Buy this one.
Review: I watched the chronicles of riddick and enjoyed it. I rented pitch black which was the first in the series. I was not impressed. the cussing did nothing to enhance it' it made me wonder if the writer and directr did not have a dictionary to consult. also there was no tie in between pitch black and the chronicles of riddick. in fact pich black made no sence. the chronicles of riddick stands on its own.


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