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Pitch Black (Widescreen Unrated Director's Cut) Customer Reviews (28 - 30 of 69 Reviews)

leaves room for error
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.

Taut, smart, enjoyable filmmaking
Hell has surely frozen over. That's the only way to explain how David Twohy, writer-director of the so-bad-it's-hilarious Charlie Sheen skydiving epic "Terminal Velocity," has made a movie this good. It's not high art, but "Pitch Black" is a triumph within its genre: a suspenseful, intelligent monster movie with surprisingly deep characters.

A damaged spaceship loaded with cargo and cryo-sleeping passengers crash-lands on an alien world where three suns create perpetual daylight. At first, the survivors think their biggest problem is the vicious convict who's escaped from the wreckage. Then they discover the light-fearing predators lurking beneath the planet's surface. And then comes the total eclipse...

"Pitch Black" is a Diesel-powered movie-- Vin Diesel, that is. As the menacing convict Richard P. Riddick, Diesel gives a ferociously intelligent and charismatic performance, backed up by Twohy's surprisingly nuanced script. You'll come to root for Riddick as the movie wears on, but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll like him.

Radha Mitchell is also fine as the novice pilot Fry, battling inner and outer demons as she tries to hold the survivors together; Cole Hauser does a nice turn as Riddick's captor; and the fine supporting cast includes Keith David as a Muslim cleric (a refreshingly positive portrayal of Islam) and "Farscape"'s always-excellent Claudia Black.

"Pitch Black" is an embarrassment of riches for sci-fi fans: characters who continually surprise you, creepy creatures left mostly up to your imagination, and a stripped-down story that moves at a breakneck pace. Perfect popcorn entertainment-- just be sure you don't turn _all_ the lights off before you watch it...

Outstanding effects and decent acting make this a winner
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.

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