Revisiting Sci Fi Horror Sleeper Hit Pitch Black

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February 9

Sommerleigh Pollonais, Horror Head Writer

Warning: Mild Spoilers Ahead

Released February 18, 2000, it's almost been 24 years since the release of Pitch Black. It was one of those movies that seemed to come out of nowhere and with its simple premise, small budget and cast of then mostly unknown actors, created a world that left an indelible impression on both Sci Fi and horror fans. The success of the movie led to two sequels, an anime short (The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury <2004>), video games and even comic tie-ins. While I've enjoyed the expanded franchise to varying degrees, it's the first movie most fans of the genre remember as the best of the bunch and sitting down to rewatch it again I think it holds up and then some.

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Set 500 years in the future, the movie wastes no time as it starts out with a group of space travellers trying to survive after crash landing on a seemingly desolate planet. Only the planet isn't uninhabited as when darkness falls the local inhabitants of bloodthirsty creatures come out to feast, forcing the crew of misfits to band together to fight them off. Nothing most of us haven't seen before, right? Well, what makes this particular movie stand out is the inclusion of a character named Richard B. Riddick, played by a then little-known actor called Vin Diesel.

Every actor has that one character that seems tailor-made for them. Ryan Reynolds has Deadpool, Dave Bautista has Drax and, while I'm sure most people will say Vin Diesel has Dominic Torretto of the Fast and Furious franchise, I would argue Riddick is just as iconic. I would even say Riddick is more iconic than Toretto, as from his unique voice, snarky one-liners and genuinely intimidating presence, Diesel's portrayal of this "shiny-eyed" badass is all his own.

RIDDICK: They may be powerful, vicious alien creatures, but we have something even more powerful. We have family EVERYONE ELSE: What?! RIDDICK: What?

That said, Riddick is just the icing on the cake. Director David Twohy along with cinematographers David Eggby and Anna Forster created a world that feels both alien and believable at the same time. From the colour pallets of the desert landscape to the pitch black (pun intended) scenes that take over once the suns (this planet has three) are no longer visible, the tension starts from the very beginning and never lets up. The narrative isn't clunky either, something I appreciated when I first watched it and still do now. And while I'm sure there are those who would say they didn't do enough to explore this strange new world; I would argue the reason it's so effective is because we know so little about it.

One could argue Pitch Black wouldn't have worked as well if it was released now, due to the overabundance of information available online even before a movie is released. I vaguely remember the trailer for this, but I do remember it didn't give anything away, and that was to the movie's benefit for sure. Not knowing where the narrative was heading placed viewers directly in the shoes of these unlucky folks, which just made the switch from Sci Fi to horror all the more engaging.

Look into my eyes and tell me what it is you see in me. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony? Batman & Robin soundtrack? No?

As I mentioned before, there were sequels to Pitch Black that expanded on this universe giving us space opera The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) and Sci Fi horror Riddick (2013), as well as the animated short, The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004). I think these movies all have their pros and cons but none of them brought the surprises, intensity or sense of originality this one did. A perfect blend of science fiction, action and horror, with a likeable (albeit underdeveloped) cast of characters, and of course we can't forget the man with the coolest sets of eyes you've ever seen and an attitude to match, here's hoping it won't be another 20 before we get to see Richard B. Riddick on screen once again.

Sommer's Score: 7.5 out of 10

Are you a fan of Pitch Black? Shout out in the comments. And you can check out more Sci Fi horror content below:

Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I'll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More