Plot: What’s it about?
A routine transport is heading to deliver around forty passengers, none of whom expect much in terms of unusual events. The transport is carrying a wide variety of people on board, such as colonists on their way to settle a new area, some Muslim priests, and Riddick (Vin Diesel), a lethal killer en route to his new holding cell. Riddick is a violent person to be sure, even having his eyes surgically enhanced so that he can stalk his victims in total darkness. But now he is locked down and headed to his final home, where he poses no threat to anyone. The transport process seems to be going well, but then something goes wrong and the craft crash lands on a remote planet. Once the survivors exit the transport, Riddick escapes and the others search the landscape for water or details on just where they are. They soon discover an abandon mine and within it, information about the planet that tells of a long period of darkness, which only comes once in a great many years. As if the situation wasn’t bad enough, now the survivors find themselves immersed in total darkness. Riddick can see in total darkness and they know this, but is he the only monster that will surface when the lights go out?
The genre of sci/fi thrillers has been ignored a lot of late, in favor of teen horror flicks or serial killer suspense/thriller offerings. I am a fan of sci/fi & horror and as such, I was primed and ready when Pitch Black appeared in theaters. I cannot even begin to explain how good this movie is, it has all the vital elements we expect from this genre, but also brings in excellent writing and gifted actors to bring the characters to life. Even though this is an “A list” product, I didn’t expect much aside from cool special effects and a solid performance from Vin Diesel. I was stunned by the visual effects used in this film and I don’t just mean special effects either, even minor production design details are impressive here. This film needs an effective atmosphere in order to work and thankfully, it sports an incredible array of visuals and nuances. Add in some top notch writing, in terms of characters and plot movement and a cast of terrific performers, then you have a the basis for this outstanding sci/fi thriller. I can’t recommend this one enough and whether you’re a fan of science-fiction, horror, or suspense/thrillers, Pitch Black is a movie worth looking into.
At the helm of this film is David Twohy and while you might not recognize his name, he is no stranger to this type of subject matter. Twohy has done some other directing projects (The Arrival), but he is best known for his skills as a writer. His work seems to lean toward science-fiction and thrillers, which means he is the perfect choice to work on this film, since it blends both subjects together. While Jim & Ken Wheat penned the story for this film, Twohy worked with them to refine the screenplay and the results are fantastic. Three have conjured up some excellent characters, ones that show much more depth and complexity than most science-fiction/horror films. This depth is what creates the solid base for this movie and allows it to turn out so damn good. But that writing can only go so far without a great cast and this film has one that more that fits the bill. Lead by Vin Diesel, these performers work magic in this film and come off as believable and real. Small quirks and traits add a lot to these characters, as the actors work every drop of information from the writing. Diesel (Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan) is impressive as always, stealing this one from under an also highly talented supporting cast. The others include Cole Hauser (School Ties), Keith David (Where The Heart Is), Claudia Black (Tv’s Farscape), Radha Mitchell (High Art), and Lewis Fitz-Gerald (Breaker Morant).
Video: How does it look?
Pitch Black is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I can sum up this transfer in one simple word, perfect. I saw no flaws in the least with this presentation and I think this is Universal’s finest transfer to date. As dark as complex as these visuals are, this transfer never slips and always presents the image in perfect form. The contrast is razor sharp at all times, no detail is lost and black levels are flawless in their balance. The colors can be a little skewed (on purpose), but again the transfer ensures they look just as they should, never smearing or bleeding in the least. I am very impressed with this transfer and this is a movie that could be a nightmare to work on, so extra thanks to Universal for taking the time to do this one right.
Audio: How does it sound?
I was pleased to find 5.1 surround options in both Dolby Digital and DTS formats, both of which offer excellent audio presentations. I will say both track miss a major chance to enhance the film by not using subtle audio for atmosphere, but other than that these are fine tracks. The surrounds kick in when they need to and when they do, you will know it. When active the speakers are used to perfection and provide a more than memorable experience. I do wish more background and subtle audio could be found, but even without it this manages to be an above average trip in both cases. The music comes through very well and uses the surrounds to enhance the impact of the score. Both tracks handle the dialogue very well and I never found any problems with the crispness or volume of the vocals. If you have the choice, I recommend the DTS track as it is a little more tight in the surrounds, but both tracks are very good in the end. This disc also includes English & French subtitles, as well as being closed captioned.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This review covers the unrated version of Pitch Black, so if you wanted the “R” rated edition you’ll need to look for that review on this site. I am not positive on which scenes were added to, but I believe the extra footage in this edition involves more blood and violence. This is cool by me and I can’t see owning the other version, when this is the director’s preferred edition of the film. Aside from the extra few minutes of footage though, the discs feature the same array of bonus materials. This disc includes two audio commentaries and while both make for an interesting listen, they are more on the technical side as opposed to behind the scenes. I did like the special effects coverage and visual stuff, but I would have liked a few more stories about casting and other aspects of the production. The first track has director David Twohy and stars Vin Diesel and Cole Hauser and I think this is the more fun and relaxed option. The actors talk about their experiences making the film and I found the stories to be interesting, but there is some silent spaces wedged in there too. The second track has Twohy back again and this time, he chats with producer Tom Engelman and visual effects Peter Chaing. This one looks at the technical side of the production and while there is a ton of information here, I found this to be a rather dull overall commentary. Also found are two of the film’s theatrical trailers and a brief behind the scenes featurette. Not too shabby in the least, especially for a normal (i.e. non special edition) release.
