Rating: 
Summary: A Surprisingly Good Sci-Fi Thriller
Review: Pitch Black somehow managed to slip past me in it's original theatrical release, but the good word-of-mouth convinced me to buy the DVD. My original impression of the film turned out to be pretty much true: John Carpenter's "The Thing" meets "Alien". A diverse group of people are marooned on a desolate planet with three suns. One of the survivors, Riddick, (Played by Vin Diesel) is a mass-murderer/serial killer. The planet is inhabited by nocturnal, light-sensitive creatures who feed on human flesh....Luckily, the three suns force the Aliens to avoid the surface. Unfortunately for our hapless survivors, they've arrived just in time for a once-every-22-Years Total Eclipse....Is that the dinner bell I hear ringing....? And what's the bigger threat: The carnivorous Aliens or Riddick...? What sets Pitch Black apart is it's smart script. There are quite a few twists and turns here. Heroes who aren't so heroic, villains who might not be all that bad, a couple of unexpected deaths.....The effects are good, but don't overshadow the generally fine acting. Diesel did a good job as Riddick, but I did have to rewind and use the subtitles a LOT to catch some of Riddick's lines due to Diesel's mumbly delivery... The DVD has footage not seen in theaters, 2 seperate commentary tracks, theatrical trailers, production notes, cast & crew bios, a totally dopey "Pitch Black Raveworld Event" (20 minutes of people dancing while clips from the film play in the background), and a teeny-weeny little making-of featurette that clocks in at less than five minutes. Even though I'm not generally a fan of Vin Diesel's, if they do make a Riddick-based sequel, I'll be first on line....
Rating:
Summary: Watch this in the dark
Review: Pitch Black was a movie I didn't see until after it came out on DVD. I had no idea what I was missing.
I'm a firm believer that there's not much new under the sun, and I will admit it's true of this movie as well. It owes a lot to movies like Aliens and Predator - movies that gave us scary creatures that inhabit the shadows and, while not evil, are the enemy simply because they are higher on their personal food chain than we are.
I found the use of color important in this movie - much of it looks washed out and monochromatic, but on a planet with three suns blazing overhead, what wouldn't be sun-bleached and sand-blasted into nothingness?
And Riddick... I was so pleased with this character. Generally, when Hollywood writes the "anti-hero", he's a one-note character. The outsider who does things by his own rules but is generally good-hearted. He's not bad, he's misunderstood. By the end of the film, he's redeemed because everyone suddenly realizes that life doesn't follow rules and gee, maybe he was right all along.
Not so with Riddick. Riddick is a convict and a murderer. He has no compunction against letting other people do the work or in leaving them behind if they can't pull their own weight. If he has to choose between saving your neck and his own, you best have your will written because you aren't getting out alive. He loves mind-games and he loves using his reputation to his advantage. He's not dumb and lucky, but neither is he some "evil genius" who manages to know how to do everything.
Does he get redeemed? Oh come on, this is Hollywood. Of course he does, but thankfully, his "redemption" is not complete. He wouldn't be Riddick otherwise.
This is one to watch in the dark, especially with friends. Once things in the movie get dark, they stay that way.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Sci-Fi
Review: Pitch Black was arguably one of the most overlooked films of the early year. Although the setting of the film could seem routine to a casual viewer(space travelers stranded and bickering on a hostile planet infested with alien nasties), director David Twohy's wonderful use of color and stylistic flourishes more than makes up for any trivial complaints. For those of you curious about the film's plot, it deals with a group of marooned space "passengers" who spend the majority of their time searching for a way to evacuate a harsh desert planet. Their efforts are unexpectedly forced to quicken however when they discover a particularly vicious type of nocturnal alien ready to emerge to the planet's surface during an eclipse. Viewers can't help but like the film's villainous hero(played by Vin Diesel of Saving Private Ryan and Boiler Room)who brings to memory Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous role as the Terminator. The film looks and sounds great and has more than a few moments of nail-biting tension thrown in for good measure. For Science Fiction fans this is a must-see. And as for the rest of you, try giving this fine movie a chance. You'll thank me when you do.
Rating:
Summary: We can't leave without saying goodnight...
Review: Pitch Black, director David Twohy's visually stimulating film, is a solid science fiction adventure, with an interesting cast, nasty aliens, and a pretty intelligent plot that holds together well for the most part. A crisis in space, as a meteor shower damages the hull of the merchant vessel "Hunter Gratzner". Awakening from a sleep state, the occupants of the spacecraft find themselves sliding down into the atmosphere of a planet. Quick actions by the Docking Pilot Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell), saves the ship from burning up, but much of the ship's hull is torn away in a thrilling and violent crash landing on the planet's sandy surface. A handful of survivors are left on the desertlike planet, which bathed by the light of three suns, shows few signs of active life. Among the group are Johns (Cole Hauser), a bounty hunter, and his prisoner Riddick (Vin Diesel). The group explores the planet, which shows traces of past habitation, but no human life is found. Finding an abandoned camp, the survivors encounter a hoard of strange flying creatures hiding in one of the buildings. After the creatures kill a young boy, a further search reveals a cavern full of old human bones. The survivors discover that an eclipse will soon plunge the planet into "pitch black" darkness. The darkness will trigger the appearance of the flying aliens, who repelled by the light of the planetary system's three suns, remain hidden underground. Thus begins a race for survival, as the group must salvage supplies, repair an existing ship, and escape from the planet. The special effects are very good. The scene where a multitude of flying creatures fill the sky is impressive, as is the scene where one of the survivors is dismembered and ripped to pieces. The aliens themselves are unusual looking and quite fierce. Unlike "Aliens", Pitch Black is not a straightforward shoot em up battle between the creatures and man. Instead other subplots are explored. The basic conflict between Riddick and Johns finally reaches a head during the desert trek. There are issues of blame and responsibility, concerning Fry. And also with Riddick, who balks at helping his fellow man. Pitch Black is recommended to science fiction and action film audiences. Riddick is a mysterious anti-hero, and Vin Diesel is absolutely riveting on screen. His voice slow and errie. A sequel based on the character Riddick, is in pre-production phase. Radha Mitchell is outstanding as Fry, a woman attempting to rise to the situation, seeking redemption. A talented and busy actress, who will hopefully be seen more in mainstream films. Pitch Black's two commentary tracks with director David Twohy are interesting and informative. Shot in Australia, the creative techniques used to simulate a desert planet with three suns is just one of the topics discussed.
Rating:
Summary: Modern Sci-Fi Epic inspired by, not derivative of, Aliens
Review: Science Fiction (and horror, for that matter) films are so numerous that their stories have been copied, remade, expanded upon, narrowed down so much that there is hardly an original idea still floating around in this genre. "Pitch Black" does little to change that fact. The concept of a rogue alien species endangering and eliminating human life is hardly a new one. The Alien Trilogy provides the seminal work for this type of story and several dozen other movies have tried to copy that formula to varying degress (mostly lesser) of success. "Pitch Black" manages to avoid the pitfalls of the path already paved in its approach to re-telling a similar story. A transport ship carrying 40 commercial passengers (and 1 maximum security prisoner) encounter a meteor storm that forces a crash landing on a barren planet seemingly devoid of life, leaving only about a dozen of the passengers still alive. The initial trick is in making the viewer think that the now escaped prisoner, Riddick, (played with remarkable style and depth by Vin Diesel) is the true threat to the survival of the rest of the passengers. The real danger isn't Riddick, but a species of carnivorous, raptor-like animals (seemingly inspired by the species in Aliens) indigenous to this planet. Initially, these animals are not much of a threat as they are deathly afraid of light (which scalds them) and this planet is privy to three (!) suns. However, in an unexpected twist of bad luck, the survivors find out that they are about the experience an event that occurs only once every 22 years on this world... a total solar eclipse of all three suns. Once the eclipse starts, these creatures are free to roam the surface of the planet and devour whatever prey they may find (humans, in this case). The goal of the survivors becomes trying to transport energy cells from the crashed ship to an intact escape ship left behind by the previous set of unlucky souls from 22 years earlier. With the interesting twists in its premise, this movie would still not be much more than sci-fi rehash with a gimmick if it were not for the stellar performances put in by an underrated cast. Diesel is the most noteworthy as convicted murder Riddick. This role practically sets itself up for a mail-it-in performance of detached coolness. Yet, Diesel brings surprising pathos to Riddick that enables the viewer to empathize with his struggle to do whats right for Riddick (because, he is a criminal after all) or do whats right for the survivors (because he is human at the core). One scene early in the movie demonstrates this range perfectly. Johns, the mercenary cop who tracked down and captures Riddick, taunts Riddick while making a deal the ensure his cooperation and assistance in trying to get the survivors off-planet. To drive home the point that Johns is definitely in control, he quickly points and fires his rifle at Riddick, intentionally missing him by a few inches telling him, "Now I want you to remember this moment, as a way things could have gone, but didn't". Johns, gets a little too close to Riddick after this and gets surprised when Riddick, now unrestrained by the cords holding him at bay, grabs the rifle from Johns, quickly flips around in his face and screams at him "Now you remember THIS moment!". While it would be easy to display over the top rage or unnatural coolness during this turn of events, Diesel's facial features betray a sense of frustration and fear in knowing very well that Johns could have killed him and that he does indeed control Riddick. Vin Diesel is a relatively new actor who first came to audiences' attentions playing Private Caparzo in "Saving Private Ryan". He has such a prescence that watching him on-screen is truly compelling, from roles like a shady stock broker in "Boiler Room" to science fiction a**-kicker in "Pitch Black". Diesel's Riddick makes some of the characters played by Schwarzenegger and Stallone look like Little Lord Fauntleroy. Diesel could own Hollywood before it's all said and done. Cole Houser adds strength in the role of the merc cop Johns. Johns is seems focused primarily on greed (Riddick is a large payday to him) and his next drug hit. He is so cold and calculating that by far exceeds Riddick as the most dangerous human. Radha Mitchell as the ships surviving crew member and Keith David as an Arab holy man also turn in effective performances in the struggle to survive this alien world. While certainly not an original story, "Pitch Black" takes familiar plot elements and weaves them together into a re-telling that is refreshing and captivating.
Rating:
Summary: leaves room for error
Review: Since I don't know how to start this review, I guess I'll start with the plot. When a space ship carrying 40 civilians (including a convict) crashes on a planet that's very hot and has three suns, the survivors of the crash have to find a way to survive without food or water. But then they encounter strange creatures that have a hungry appetite for flesh and only come out at night. And then there is an eclipse Vin Disel stars in the suspense/horror/science fiction blockbuster (in my book, anyway) along with Radah Mitchell and Keith David. First, the good things: The special effects are great as well as the acting. The movie isn't exactly scary but it's very entertaining. There are some good one-liners, and the ending is great. Bad things: It takes a while to get in to the meat of the movie. Although it starts with a huge crash, the movie doesn't pick up the pace until more than an hour in to the film. (and the film in 1 hr. and 48 minutes long) Intead, the first half is about character development and the second half picks up on the creatures. DVD: I expected more special features. The 4 minute featurette isn't very good, but the commentary with the director, Vin Disel, and Cole Hauser is the meat of the special features. The other commentary is OK. The 3 minutes of restored footage add to the 1st half of the movie (character development) and the production notes are an intersting but quick read. All in all: Good movie but was a little slow on pacing. I recommend you rent it before buying it. 1999; 112 minutes; Contains strong language, some scenes with intense violence, sensuality, and drug use.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding effects and decent acting make this a winner
Review: The first thing that struck me about this movie was the cinematography. Treating the movie as his canvas, the director use of a variety of colors made this a visually-pleasing movie to watch. The movie borrows heavily from Aliens, which really set a high standard for the action sci-fi genre. This movie falls short due to a lack of strong characters. With the exception of Riddick (Vin Diesel), the characters are pretty forgetful. Although your appreciation for their performances may increase with repeated viewings, your appreciation for the movie will probably drop. But I look forward to more work from Diesel, who plays a convincing tough guy. In fact, I didn't really appreciate the movie until watching the featurette with commentary from Hauser, Diesel and the director. One of the most enjoyable DVD commentaries I've heard. The real treat of the movie is the special effects. Without a doubt, the crash in the opening scene is best I've seen. Kinda reminded me of the plane crash scene in Fight Club. The aliens move with frightening realism, and some of their attack scense will make you wince. All in all, Pitch Black is not the best of its genre, but it's noteworthy and deserving of a rental, if not a purchase.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, But Not Scary
Review: The genres of science fiction and horror are often lumped side-by-side in video stores and the appendices of motion picture textbooks. When Alien screamed onto the screen back in 1979, the SF/Horror movie became a sub-genre of its own. On the downside, movies like Pitch Black are inevitably compared to it and often pale in comparison. Yet, Pitch Black stands out. The background for the story is compelling. The camerawork is genuinely interesting. Best of all, it's a science fiction movie that dares to take place somewhere besides outer space. That alone should merit praise. When the deep space ship Hunter-Gratzner crashes on an unknown planet, the surviving passengers and crew are left with the task of surviving on a desert-like world that appears uninhabitable. The ragtag remains include an antiquities curator, a holy man and his sons, a cop and the killer he is escorting to prison. The only surviving crew member is the copilot, who nearly killed everyone on board in order to land the ship and save herself. Naturally, the survivors begin a search for water, hoping to survive long enough to afford a rescue. Luck provides them with both when they find the remnants of a geology camp that has been deserted for years. There is water and a small junked ship they may be able to repair. Just when things begin to look up, however, the carnage begins. Pitch Black can certainly be predictable at times, but very few movies (especially science fiction) come across as wholly unique. And yes, the characters are underdeveloped and poorly written. Despite all these problems, however, it can be quite entertaining. Between the barren world and the skittery creatures that inhabit its darker regions, special care has been given to creating a world where the story takes place. It is not just visually striking, but also photographed in a unique manner (with overexposed shots and filtered lenses) that provides the audience with a true sense of setting. The only interesting performance comes from Vin Diesel (Boiler Room). His ruthless killer remains in character for most of the movie, and his cold, manipulating manner is often more scary than anything else in the film. Science fiction fans expecting to see Claudia Black (the SCI FI Channel's "Farscape") will be disappointed. Her appearance is notable only in its brevity. Even though reviews of Pitch Black have called the movie derivative of Alien, it still manages to be interesting and entertaining. As a science fiction movie, it's average. But fans of the genre should still see it.
Rating:
Summary: it's fun to watch people die in the dark
Review: This film is so good it should be placed in hermetically sealed theatre and only shown to the five richest people in the universe(of which i am seven). To begin with, Vin Diesel shows he has more than just a deep voice inside his heavily waxed head, giving the kind of performance that directors like Rob Cohen seem to lose in favour of explosions and idiotic one liners. he's ably supported by Cole Hauser (who you will spot in Good Will Hunting and Tigerland) and Rhada Mitchell plus a cast of unknowns who play victims very well, especially the Paris P. Ogelvee character, who is hilarious. The script is good, building good characters, even the minor ones who get picked off by the vicious aliens, and throwing one or two unexpected twists into the mix, along with nice set pieces, and comes up with good ways to work round the lack of light that gives the movie it's name. The set pieces and special effects are also top notch, with director David Twohy opting, probably due to low budget, to keep the monsters in the dark and not ruin all the realism by carting out some rubber CGI piece of crap-ola that is so obviously green screened in it makes you want to stick your face in a colostomy bag. To put it simply, if you like horror movies, sci-fi, or Vin Diesel, get this film. and quick, before i comission the hermetically sealed theatre.
Rating:
Summary: These creatures were ruthless
Review: This movie was entertaining to watch with its suspense, diverse character study, unpredictable plot turns, and not to mention the scary sequences. This movie did a good job in making these creatures be seen as terrifying. All these beings wanted to do was eat their human pray and no child or women was spared which makes the creature from "Alien" look tame compared to these carnivores. The story line on Pitch black was that the a crew was forced to make an emergency crash landing on this deadly planet shortly before the time this planet had a 3 sun solar eclipse to the moon. As a result, the entire planet goes dark indefinantly and these fierce creatures come flying out of the ground like locusts infesting the entire planet.
Vin Diesel of course was the unofficial hero in this film although his character portrayal was not one of a typical good hearted empathitic hero. Rather he was a melicious murderer held captive on this ship by a police figure who also had bad intentions but, I won't get into that, you gotta see it for yourself. Coincedentally, Vin's character has abnormal eye sight which allows him to see in the dark therefore, the crew members feeling helpless against these deadly creatures are forced to rely on Vin's night vision for thier survival. Vin's character however, has other ideas which is to sacrifies the crews lives to these creatures to ensure his own escape. I won't give away how things end up but, I'll just say that it is slightly unpredictable and action packed along the way. Even these aliens fall victim to Vin's bad azz gung ho approach. Great sci fi flick that isn't for everybodies taste but, if you like the sci fi thriller genre, definantly take a look at this film.
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