If you have not seen this already buy it right now! This is a highly recommended, very good film vin diesel is a great actor for riddick and btw yes this is better than the original even though this film is not as well known as the chronicles of riddick it is much better than it.
The story is about 10 passengers and 3 crew members one of which is the prisoner riddick and another is the merc who captured him. There ship crash lands on an alien world with little supplies and no idea where they are they already have 3 dead from the crash and then they start to discover there not alone......
"You said it was clear"
"I said it looked clear!!"

Even though this movie starts off with the usual: something goes wrong, spacecraft crashes, people are stranded etc. it still pulls off and introduces the viewer to some new ideas. Riddick is somewhat of a badass convict and has modified his eyes so he is able to see in the dark which is a sought after ability in the situation the shipcrew and he is in. The cutting in the movie is very good and emphasizes the mystique that shrouds around the anti-hero and male protagonist: "Riddick." The story in Pitch Black is, as already mentioned, to some extent very unoriginal and dissatisfied, but the clipping and cutting in the movie blended with some surprising elements which has been added to the story helps it to still support itself very well and one is afterwards left behind with a hybrid feeling of satisfaction and hunger for more. Vin Diesel acts really well in the role as Riddick and even though his character is a hardcore, tough survivor he still takes morale decisions almost on the verge of good, but that does not mean his decisions do not turn in his favor at the very end... Why destroy an already perfect reputation?
All in all this is a very good movie though not perfect. The story seems very unoriginal at the surface, but underneath it shines with enough originality to entertain. Some scenes has that wow factor while it as a whole is a bit better than average. It could maybe be described as a cult movie and it is definetely a recommendation for people who wants a spiced up sci-fi story blended with some minor psychological moments and an intriguing protagonist, namely Riddick.

For a low budget film this film was fantastic. Vin Diesel is a bit like marmite you either like his stuff or you dont put with the character of Riddick he was amazing. The look of the movie is fantastic the use of the different colours ( blues, yellows and oranges) due to the three different suns is amazing. And once it gets dark all hell breaks loose and it is action packed to the finish. Just a shame number two does not compare. ..."There's only one rule: Stay in the light"

Pitch Black is a great Sci-fi thriller,that owes more than a passing nod to Alien. But the film really does work on it's limited budget. The outback settings do give the film a other worldy feel, and when the when it gets dark the film pulls out all the stops with the great creations of the alien predators. Vin Deasil is never better as the growling convicted killer Riddick, who the surviving cast has to trust to survive. Excellent tension, some very nasty death's and a good cast make this low budget Sci-Fi a cult classic. This is everything the Bloated and up it's own Arse sequel failed to be.

... I hear you say...and why not a high five ?...Well... it all began a long time ago with "Alien" which this film reminds me of time and again throughout its entirety, but that is not the reason for the fallen star. No, indeed the premise works in its favour. The unfamiliar landscape (Australia) with its solar phenomena; the hostile hosts (going batty for your blood); and the high tec spec... all delivered with the finest special effects. The visuals could have taken up the whole movie for me - they were very well executed... (as were some of the characters in the film... one by one ! ). The fallen star is Vin Diesel himself...mumbling through the script and pretending to be mean while self assured and aloof - at best it was a mechanical performance. It just didn't gel with the rest of the cast who all seemed to be playing their parts well enough but with much restraint, presumably to avoid taking the shine off Diesel. It was like they were bursting to act but all trying not to. I would have liked to have seen more prominence devolve upon the other characters and for Diesel to act up a little more.
But, hey, it gets a four and it is worth buying. I shall keep this disc and play it again sometime. Have fun with the bonus features in this special edition.

Amazing film. I'm usually not a big fan of Vin Diesel but in my opinion he was great in this film he suited the part very well. If you have seen and liked "The Chronicles of Riddick" then i would recommend you buy this as it is MUCH better.........