Some sci-fi stories just don’t quite catch, even when most things about them make it seem as though they should. Vin Diesel’s Pitch Black is a lesser-known, but at the same time rather well-known, sci-fi film released in 2000. Despite middling reviews overall, Vin Diesel’s work in this film has been heralded as some of his best. This film would go on to bring about multiple sequels, successful video games, and even a few comics. Despite all of this apparent success, the sci-fi franchise has never quite found footing in people’s memory.
Directed by David Twohy, Pitch Black was released in February of 2000 and tells the tale of the dangerous criminal Riddick being transported to prison in a spacecraft. The crew soon finds themselves in trouble however after comet debris damages the ship and forces them to land on a seemingly barren desert planet. Riddick escapes but after the crew learns of dangerous creatures that only come out at night, and with an impending eclipse on the horizon, Riddick joins forces with the crew to fight for survival.
This idea of a stranded crew fighting against unknown odds isn’t inherently unique, but the film executes this idea with some gorgeous visuals and solid acting from most of the cast. While Diesel’s Riddick is admittedly somewhat similar to some of his other characters, this was the actor’s breakout role. For his first leading role, Diesel’s acting sells the character and very much cements the character in this world.
The world-building is another aspect of this story that works exceptionally well. While the story begins fairly familiar to most tougher sci-fi stories, a prisoner on board a shuttle to his prison, when they get to the planet is where the breadth of this story truly takes hold. A world that has eclipses and wherein terrifying creatures come out only at night is a wonderfully terrifying idea. It places all of the characters on uneven ground, some are more trained for this threat than others, and forces the formation of unlikely allies.
The deadline of the impending eclipse also adds a sense of danger and finality to the story. The unlikelihood of the crew making it out alive if they don’t find a way off the planet before the eclipse is intriguing and thrilling. When the night of the eclipse finally comes, the story turns into a mad dash to escape.
With all of these interesting elements, why hasn’t this movie gained more popularity? The most common way Pitch Black, and its sequels, have been shared is through word of mouth. This is likely because, in the early 2000s, movies were seeing a shift to more grounded, hardened stories. While Pitch Black seems to fit this very well, the sci-fi aspects are what might have turned people away from this story. Without the sci-fi aspects, a hard-R story about a criminal saving a shipwrecked crew has legs in the time period.
It wasn’t until later when sci-fi movies began rising in popularity again, and this underappreciated gem began to find footing. At this point, however, there were already several other big sci-fi hits to compete with. This trend of just barely missing the mark would sadly continue for the franchise. By the time the sequel was released, in 2004, the general audience simply wasn’t aware enough of this franchise. When Diesel wanted to make a third film, in 2013, he actually had to finance much of the film himself. This led to Diesel mortgaging his home, obtaining loans, and spending much of his own money in order to finish the film.
Based on this evidence, it seems that Riddick’s biggest fan is Vin Diesel himself. Diesel has long said in interviews how big of a fan he is of the character, but that he has to go to a very dark place to play him. Following the release of Riddick in 2013, Vin Diesel’s friend and Fast and Furious co-star Paul Walker tragically passed away in a car accident. This hit Vin Diesel rather hard and delayed the fourth Riddick film indefinitely, although Diesel is sure to post at least once a year since promising the fourth movie is still on the way. A recent social media post even mentioned that he’s met with some “team” and that the fourth movie, titled Riddick 4: Furya, could be coming sooner than fans think.
While it’s uncertain if audiences will ever see another in the Chronicles of Riddick franchise, there will still always be the original to tide fans over. Pitch Black is an excellent blend of sci-fi and brutal realism that unfortunately seems to have been released just a little too soon to find mass appeal. Despite this, it’s definitely worth a watch for fans of more grungy sci-fi stories, and worth a rewatch for fans who already know about this diamond in the rough.