Riddic (2013) [Movie Review]

I rather wanted to see this movie in the theater, and yet I never did. Thankfully the modern era has huge flat panel TV's complete 5.1 surround sound AV systems, and high-def BD players. It also has director's cuts. Which is what I watched. I'll go back eventually and watch the theatrical release, but I always view the director's cuts as the official movie.

He's a postman. Not rain, nor sandstorm, nor pitch black night.

I should state at the outset that I like the Pitch Black / Riddic universe. It is huge... it's like a role playing game where the GM spent days upon days creating all these wonderful back stories, and you are trapped in one tiny part of it. He drops hints that there is a much larger world, but you rarely get to see it.

3 out of 5 stars

Bored. So bored. Bored. Bored...

The second movie, Chronicles of Riddic, explores this universe the most, but both Pitch Black and Riddic explore the expansive universe as well.

McCoy seems to lead a double life...

This movie (the Director's Cut) links to its predecessor much better than Chronicles did to Pitch. Chronicles needed an animated short to really link the two films. This one does not. Sure, you are thrust right into a Pitch Black like situation, but you get a flashback that covers the how and why very quickly. So that is honestly a big plus for this Riddic film.

It also links back to Pitch Black in other ways, giving a more robust connectivity to the series. I say series, because I do not expect this universe to be done with after 3 movies and a short. (Well there are more than one short, but Blindsided is actually wrapped into the Director's Cut of Riddic.)

And this is why people are scared of dental visits.

I keep stressing that this is the Director's Cut I watched, and the one I am reviewing. I am certain that if I started with the theatrical cut I'd probably drop it a half-star just because it would be missing the strong link back to Chronicles.

Zebra-dog!

I also have to say that of all the movies I've seen Vin Diesel in, it is this role, to me, that is his most iconic. Of course I wrote off the Fast and Furious movies after the first one left no lasting impression on me at all.    

I suppose I should get on to a brief intro to the plot.

Riddic wakes on a mostly barren planet, left baking under a hot sun, with predatory animals after him. He is fighting, alone, vs injury, vs environment, and vs predators of multiple kinds.

I really want to spoil something, but I won't.

He raises a zebra-dog pup along the way, which plays to the persona of Riddic. We've seen him essentially always have this brutally honest and protective attitude in the films. It's not a warm caring attitude, but a dutiful kinda of protector. Yes, he's a violent and powerful criminal / the lord of the Necromonger, but he's also got this protective side. He's shown it through the multiple films. 

Back to the synopsis. Riddic is trying to cross a mountain ridge to reach an outpost where hopefully a way off planet can be found. His path is blocked by a rather large and disturbing creature which he spends quite some time planning how to kill.

Starbuck!

Eventually Riddic crosses the mountain range and that is where we finally gain more characters. Yes, Riddic spends about the first thirty to forty minutes of the film alone (with the zebra-dog). We need more characters, because just like in Pitch Black, we need fodder.

And I'm going to stop there.

Her name is Dahl. Seriously, the only female is a 'Dahl.'

Now as a BSG fan, it was a real treat to see Katie Sackhoff in another science fiction role. She essentially reprises her roll as a bad-ass, this time a markswoman instead of a pilot, but still a bad-ass.

But I have a complaint. It's not about seeing her topless, I cannot complain about that treat. But her character's name. It drove me crazy. Her name is Dahl. I swore that through the whole movie they just kept calling her 'doll' like it was a 1930's gangster film. It drove me crazy... and it was not cleared up until I saw the credits.

Anyways, if you enjoyed the first two movies the third is really quite good. If you only liked Pitch Black and not the Chronicles, then this is more of the same. If you liked Chronicles but not Pitch Black (not that I've met anyone like that), then only watch the Director's cut since you'll get the linkage, and Karl Urban.

I recommend the director's cut. I'll have to watch the theatrical to see if I like it as much, but I can say right now that I probably wont because it will (from what I've read) lack the links back to Chronicles. I can't watch Chronicles after Pitch Black without watching the the animated short in between.   

That's a smug grin.

Edited: I've had second thoughts, and thus reduced this movie by a half star.