Riddick Directed by: David Twohy Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff Rating: R Release Date: September 6, 2013
Trailer Score: 6/10
Thoughts by TSR: I haven't seen it in full for years, but I used to love Pitch Black. Over the weekend I watched a few minutes and was thrilled to still have a lot of fun with it. Also, that shot of Vin Diesel sitting under an umbrella drinking remains hilarious. Sadly, I don't remember a thing about The Chronicles of Riddick. So here's a third entry I certainly wasn't clamoring for, and this trailer hardly makes it look like a must-see. Still, Diesel is a fascinating screen presence, and Riddick looks like it could be entertaining enough to warrant a look on Blu-ray.
Pretty much everything about this looks and feels cheap. That should probably be a point against the trailer, but instead it kind of reminds me of Pitch Black's charm. Some of the creatures look decent I guess, and one that doesn't – Riddick's doglike friend – has its charms. None of the supporting cast really stands out. It is always nice to see Katee Sackhoff, though (remember kids, A&E's "Longmire" is back for season two!). Let's bring it back to the man who sees in the dark. Like I said, Diesel is such a strange, fascinating presence, and I can't help but love him. I'm especially taken by the way he grumbles, "One down. Three down. You get where I'm going with this." That's capped off by the little smile that says, "I graced the world with The Fast and the the Furious franchise, so you guys better want more Riddick!" Whatever you say, Dom. If you want us to live our lives a quarter mile at a time, we'll find a way to stop for Richard B. Riddick.