Toronto

This could have been a great movie if not for some major flaws, the first and most noticeable of which is the horrendous camera work. All the action scenes are nothing but a series of rapid-fire close-up shots that do nothing more than convey the idea that action is taking place rather than let us sit back and watch and enjoy it; it leads me to believe that the director did this because he doesn't know how to choreograph fight scenes. The effects are inconsistent, ranging from great to pitiful (the latter being more prevalent), the sets look like they were stolen from Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the dialogue (with the exception of a few choice lines from Riddick and the mercs) is laughable, making George Lucas's recent attempts seem like Tarantino. Plus, the actress they got to play Jack is so utterly different-looking than the one in Pitch Black that I couldn't suspend my disbelief even for a second. Imagine getting Brad Pitt to play Harry Potter in the next movie and you'll get a sense of what I mean. However, this movie is not a total loss. Something like a Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome in space, Riddick is actually a great adventure flick with a creative, imaginative story and some really nifty ideas for locations and characters. It actually is highly enjoyable to watch when we're not being subjected to the incoherent action scenes or the B-movie quality dialogue. Oh yeah, and Judi Dench serves no purpose whatsoever. Only recommended for hard-core sci-fi enthusiasts.

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