Pitch Black

You can tell by the trailers that the film depends heavily on special effects, features a tough guy in the lead, and probably has a lack of depth for the supporting characters. My expectations were right on, but I didn't anticipate that the film would surprisingly become quite a skillfully handled thrill ride.

I view this film in the same vein as I view Starship Troopers. Special effects are predominant, the plot-line is similarly inconsequential and far fetched, and the actors are there to look stylish. Vin Diesel fits the bill perfectly. Not only is hebuilt like a tank, he's also got contact-enhanced glinting eyes. The eyes are actually what drive the plot.

Vin Diesel is one of the most feared criminals in the galaxy. He's being transported to a different prison but the ship encounters trouble and crash lands on a nearby planet. This opening sequence is well structured and tense, predominantly because of the lightning fast editing, Once they're on the planet, the desert scenes are filmed with a bright color saturation. The desolate mood of the film is set, an oppressive desert lays before our heroes, and there exists little chance of survival.

There's also some weird cosmological anomaly going on that makes it dark for an extended period of time. Impeding their quest for survival is a species of alien that lives under the planet's surface and only comes out to kill in the dark. Our characters realize this, and try to find protective shelter. Needless to say, it's hard to find in an open desert. Once it gets dark, Riddick (Diesel) is the only one who can see with his surgically enhanced eyes. Our courgaeous hero acts as the eyes in the darkness for our group.

Once night falls, and the group tries to find a way off the planet, the film finally takes off. It becomes quite the thrill ride, with some truly notable scenes. Once night falls, it starts to become a combination of Starship Troopers and Alien, with obligatory, adrenaline filled one-on-one confrontations. Some of the encounters are wonderfully shot and feature splendid special effects. The fantastically designed aliens move fluidly and realistically, and we scowl as they glide across the planet's desert surface.

Unfortunately, as I've said before, the characters are never really fleshed out enough for us to care if they live or die. We know little about their backgrounds or where they come from, or even why they were on that ill-fated ship in the first place. The film thankfully never pretends to be a character study.

In my opinion (contrary to what most critics feel) Pitch Black should be thought of as a good way to usher in low-budget, special effects-driven films. USA Films requires commendation for giving the green light to a new filmmaker with a modestly priced vision. In a time where a typical special effects thrill ride costs upwards of 100 million, this "cheap" 50 million dollar film should be thought of as an accomplishment, rather than something to scorn at..

On a scale of 1 to 10 blind spots : 6