A Text-Book Example of a Top Quality Sci-Fi Action Thriller.

Rating: 9/10 (27 March 2002)

This movie absolutely kicked ass. I had no fingernails left by the time the credits rolled, and felt like I'd just been on a rollercoaster ride. What's more I didn't have to disengage my brain to enjoy it. Compared to what was realised on the screen this was done on a shoestring budget and was full of invention and superbly written and directed. It puts to shame many films that were done on five times the budget, and should act as a lesson in film-making for this genre.
Lesson #1. The scenario and scary creatures may be slightly reminiscent of other movies, but you can put an interesting spin on the idea which justifies your film being made. In this picture there were various elements which had been seen before, but the mixture of stranded crew, desert planet and hidden danger is presented with a new spin which is a perfect recipe for suspense and thrills. The opening sequence sets up the scenario nicely and as the seriousness of the situation unfolds, a queasy sensation of mounting horror takes over. From then on I was squirming in my seat thinking "Wow, these guys are screwed" and wondering how anyone would survive.
Lesson #2. Limited resources and lack of big star names can be turned to your advantage. The makers of this film have concentrated on writing a good script and using what resources they do have to make it look interesting. There isn't much in the way of flashy CGI effects but it looks superb, and the director has used some excellent photographic effects to depict the planet and the Riddick character's unusual vision. The writing is excellent and I notice some of the best dialogue has been given a deserved web page of its own on the IMDB site. This combination of good writing and inventive direction makes the whole picture work better, in my humble opinion, than many a film whose special effects cost ten times as much. This is the essence of good sci-fi, because the genre often doesn't get the resources required to realise an ambitious vision and even when it does, it's usually wasted on brainless popcorn-fodder like the Fifth Element.
Lesson #3. Characters. The makers of this movie have fortunately realised that it never hurts to come up with interesting characters and creating an ensemble with some interesting chemistry. The leading players all have a slight edge to them that makes them more vulnerable and more interesting than a clean-cut action hero. The pilot haunted by her decision to try and save herself at the expense of others before the crash, now trying to save everyone, the murderous convict who no one can trust, the shady law enforcement officer - all makes for a bit of added spice and makes everyone seem more human and sympathetic. The supporting cast have all got slightly different viewpoints and motivations and this means people can act in different and conflicting ways. It's not Shakespeare but it works well and gives the story the ability to take different turns due to the characters' actions. Vin Diesel is the best thing in this movie with a terrific performance as the convict, but all the actors performed quite well in their various roles thanks to the characterization and good judgement by film-makers who clearly understand what works in a sci-fi movie.
Lesson #4. Set up the situation, pile on the problems, and then let the characters try various ways to dig their way out of the hole. The story advances, as do the characters (the surviving ones anyway), as they keep moving on. Pile on a few more problems, suspense and shocks, and plant the characters tantalisingly close to the chance to succeed and stick one last frightening danger in their way. This movie was so gripping and clever I was rapt throughout. The ending was a bit abrupt and inconclusive but perhaps in keeping with the hard-edged, almost bleak mood the film had conjured up until then,
Overall, an absolute cracker and worth watching. I expect I will buy this on DVD to keep as one of my favourites of the genre.
One criticism: While not giving this movie a massive budget to play around with, which might have been a millstone around everyone's neck, was not necessarily a bad move, the studio should have given this movie much more support than it got. Surely when they saw what was in the can, the suits should have given this better distribution and promotion, and taken the opportunity to clean up at the box office with what was the best movie of its kind in years? I saw one trailer for this movie, which didn't do the production justice and made me think it would just be another rip-off of Aliens et al. I waited for the video as I simply don't have the opportunity to see that many films at the cinema and limit myself to the unmissable releases, and then kicked myself black and blue for not queuing round the block in the rain to see this. In the end this movie nearly doubled its money at the US Box Office but this deserved to be a $100m grosser. When you've got something this good, make the most of it.