Riddick- review

Riddick is the third movie involving the science fiction adventures of anti-hero Riddick.  Vin Diesel falls back into his character of Riddick with ease and is made far more likeable then he has been in previous films.  Riddick builds on the stories of past movies while still being original and fun.  The action and the effects make for a very enjoyable movie-going experience.

Riddick, played by Vin Diesel, is betrayed by his Necromonger underlings and left for dead on a desert planet.  There he discovers that creatures on this planet are savage and deadly.  He is able to befriend a jackal-beast pup, which he raises to adulthood.  Riddick then finds a mercenary station and sends out an emergency beacon.  Two teams of mercenaries come looking for Riddick, both with very different agendas.

Vin Diesel is actually very charming and is a lot of fun as an action hero in this movie.  His scenes with the jackal-beast are humorous and tender at times, and sometimes reminiscent of Mad Max with his dog in The Road Warrior.  The mercenaries are interesting as well and each character is a unique individual and not just another body for Riddick or alien to chop up. 

If you enjoyed Pitch Black or The Chronicles of Riddick then you will certainly notice the mood change of this film.  The action is sometimes similar to watching the 80s Conan the Barbarian film in a space setting.  It is violent and sometimes irreverent but not without entertainment value. 

This is the sort of movie that John Carter should have been.  If you enjoy science fiction or action adventure this movie will be a lot of fun for you.  Riddick is probably the best of the trilogy. It is certainly the most interesting and the most visually appealing.  If in seeing a space barbarian crush his enemies sounds appealing to you, then you should definitely see this film.