Screeching Bats With Anchors On Their Heads Will Kill You Every Time!

Rating: 8/10 (24 February 2000)

**SPOILERS**
I was thoroughly impressed with this horror/sci fi hybrid flick, especially in its far-out visual ingenuity (sort of ALIEN 3 meets MAD MAX) and in the thematics of its script (religion, personal redemption, science vs. nature.) I felt like the writer/director tried to put his own personal spin on a story which was admittedly cobbled together from various other sci fi and horror films. For me, PITCH BLACK ended up being totally entertaining on its own terms:
1. The aliens were cool as all git out. Not particularly scary, but not someone you'd want to run into in a dark alley. I loved the way they moved and screeched and such.
2. The developing relationship between Frye and Riddick was interesting and added an extra dimension to the story. There was attraction, repulsion, mutual respect. Everything.
3. Those poor Muslim kids kind of played the role of the old red-shirted guys in the old Star Trek tv series. In short, they were expendable.
4. The folks you don't think will survive, do. I appreciated that.
All in all, a solid 8/10. Keep your expectations low and you'll feel like you've been transported to another world. I dig movies that are able to pull that off.