A spacecraft carrying an assortment of passengers including Riddick (Vin Diesel), a dangerous, shackled murderer between prisons, is forced to make a crash landing on a barren, triple-sunned planet after the craft suffers severe damage during a meteor shower. The ship is ripped into pieces, killing several crew members and leaving meek officer Fry (Radha Mitchell) in charge of the survivors. After two unfortunate deaths, the survivors discover that the only visible life form on the planet is a species of light-fearing, carnivorous, occasionally cannibalistic aliens dwelling in caverns beneath the desert surface. Using a model of the planet and its suns in an abandoned research station, Fry deduces that she and her fellow travellers have unfortunately descended on the planet on the day of its first total eclipse in 22 years, giving them mere hours before they are bathed in total darkness. Only then is it safe for the hungry subterranean creatures to emerge, seeking to feed on the remaining survivors. However, the dangerous Riddick, through black market injections received in lock-up, is able to see in darkness- causing the surviving crew members to reluctantly remain dependent on the potentially harmful criminal. As the survivors are killed one by one by the hungry creatures, they realize that Riddick may be their only hope.
A dark, atmospheric sci-fi thriller with a sharp sense of humor. When a spacecraft crashes on a mysterious planet, the remaining survivors turn to Riddick (Diesel), a convicted murderer, to help them survive. It appears that the only life form on the planet is a dangerous species of flesh-eating alien that emerges from underground when darkness appears. Before long, the abandoned passengers realize that a rare eclipse is about to immerse the planet in darkness, declaring open season on each and every one of them.
Opened theatrically in the U.S. on February 18, 2000.
UMD Features:
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35
Audio:
Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo - English
Additiona Release Material:
Making Of
Featurette - 1. THE JOHNS CHASE LOG
Director of Photography
David Eggby: Director of Photography
Production Designer
Graham "Grace" Walker: Production Designer/Editor
Costume Designer
Anna Borghesi: Costume Designer, PITCH BLACK (2000)
Review 1:
"...Deisel has so much presence that you don't look away when he's on-screen."
Source: Movieline's Hollywood Life
pp.36-7 03/2000
Review 2:
"...Weirdly cool....Coolly weird..." -- Rating: B+
Source: Entertainment Weekly
p.51 03/10/2000
Review 3:
"...Superior stuff....A craftily crafted and stylishly shot outer-spacer..." -- 4 out of 5 stars
Source: Total Film
p.84 08/01/2000
Review 4:
"...The movie shrewdly taps into the lurking primal terrors of anyone who ever had to sleep with a night light..."
Source: New York Times
p.E12 02/18/2000
Review 5:
"...Vin Diesel's demeanor is refreshing and the combination of his voice and physical build make his character memorable....Not since the coming of the Terminator has there been an anti-hero so worth cheering..."
Source: Box Office
p.52 03/01/2000
Review 6:
"...[Twohy] brings maximum razzle-dazzle and energy to the film....[Vin Diesel] has an intelligence and authority to match his imposing physical presence..."
Source: Los Angeles Times
p.F18 02/18/2000
Review 7:
"Diesel, with his wrestler's muscles and basso profundo voice, makes a superb bad guy..."
Source: Uncut
p.115 08/01/2000