“Somewhere along the way, I lost a step. I got sloppy. Dulled my own edge. Maybe I went and did the worst crime of all… I got civilized. So now we zero the clock. Just me and this no-name world. Gotta find that animal side again.”

Richard B. Riddick has been left for dead on a deserted alien planet. He must learn to quickly adapt to his new environment and defend himself against the creatures that look at him like dinner. As he further explores his surroundings, Riddick comes across an abandoned outpost, and activates the emergency beacon in order to lure a ship that he can use to get off the planet. However, Riddick soon finds himself being hunted by two teams of mercenaries—one a ragtag group of pirates looking to cash in on the “double if dead” clause of the bounty on his head, and the other a more military-like group that wants him alive. But with a storm fast-approaching, there may be an even bigger threat on the planet yet to come.

Riddick is welcome a return to the formula that made Pitch Black such an awesome film. Rather than space battles and cults, this film gets back to the basics of the original film that launched the franchise. It’s man against man, and man against alien creature in an action-packed thrill ride, with plenty of humor added for good measure. The rag-tag Merc team is led by the ruthless Santana (Jordi Mollà) who literally wants Riddick’s head in a box. His team includes right hand man Diaz (WWE Superstar Dave Bautista) and the young, religious and good luck charm of the group, Luna (Nolan Gerard Funk). Heading up the military Merc team is Boss Johns (Matt Nable)—a man with a connection to a character from Pitch Black—and his tough, no-nonsense sniper Dhal (Katee Sackhoff). It’s a cat and mouse game as these two very different groups must learn to work together while also finding themselves under attack by Riddick.

The film tries to bridge the gap between The Chronicles of Riddick and this sequel with a sequence explaining what happened after Riddick became the new Lord Marshall of the Necromongers. However, not having seen the second film in the franchise in over 5 years, I found these scenes to be a bit overly-confusing and unnecessary. This Blu-ray contains both the original theatrical version of the film as well as a longer Unrated Director’s Cut. One of the major differences between the two is that the extended version also includes a second Necromongers scene following the film’s original theatrical ending. I found this alternate ending to be completely unnecessary—the film would works a lot better without it. In fact, I think both of the Necromonger sequences didn’t add much overall, and could have been removed entirely to make the film more cohesive for folks new to the franchise.

The Blu-ray looks great, with a crisp, clear picture that showcases the beautiful alien landscapes. The special effects were, for the most part, really well done and look believable. There was only one brief scene where the characters are riding motorcycles that the green screen nature of the effects were really obvious. The soundtrack was fantastic, with the surround channel utilized to add to the creepiness factor, enveloping the viewer with the creaks of the outpost and other creatures that go bump in the night. The Blu-ray also contains around fifty minutes of bonus features, including a very interesting look at the sets and how some of the special effects were done.

If I had to choose a favorite film of the franchise, Riddick would be a very close second to the original Pitch Black. Folks who may have written off this film due to The Chronicles of Riddick should definitely give this third installment a chance as it contains many of the same elements that originally made this franchise so great!

What’s Included:

Film:

Blu-ray:
• Theatrical Version (1:58:45)
• Unrated Director’s Cut (2:06:47)
• 1080p / Widescreen 2.40:1
• Audio: English DTS-HD-MA 5.1, Spanish DTS 5.1, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

DVD (Theatrical Version Only):

• Anamorphic Widescreen 2.40:1
• Audio: English DD 5.1, English DVS 2.0
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital Copy (Unrated Director’s Cut Only):

• iTunes Digital Copy
• UltraViolet DigitalHD Copy
  (expiration date & UV providers not available until release date)

Extras (Blu-ray only, except those noted with *):

• The Twohy Touch (6:22)
  A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the latest installment in the Riddick saga. The cast and creators talk about how the film came about and what it was like working with director David Twohy. Features interviews with star/producer Vin Diesel, executive producers Samantha Vincent & Mike Drake, director/writer David Twohy, director of photography David Eggby, and actors Katee Sackhoff, Bokeem Woodbine, Jordi Molla, Nolan Gerard Funk, and Raoul Trujillo.
• Riddickian Tech (10:14)
  A behind-the-scenes look at the design, construction and filming of the vehicles, ships, landscapes and sets used in the film. Features interviews with director/writer David Twohy, production designer Joseph Nemec III, SFX technician Andy Antoine, visual effects supervisor Gunnar Hansen, and actors David Bautista, Nolan Gerard Funk, Katee Sackhoff, Keri Hilson and Bokeem Woodbine.
• Vin’s Riddick* (8:50)
  The actors and creators discuss Vin Diesel’s role as the iconic Richard B. Riddick and his involvement as producer for this latest film in the franchise. Includes interviews with director/writer David Twohy, executive producers Samantha Vincent and Mike Drake, and actors Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Bokeem Woodbine, Nolan Gerard Funk, Katee Sackhoff, Matt Nable, and David Bautista.
• Meet The Mercs* (10:44)
  A look behind-the-scenes at the two very different teams of Mercs who are trying to capture Riddick. Features interviews with costume designer Simonetta Mariano, director/writer David Twohy, and actors Vin Diesel, Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Molla, Matt Nable, Conrad Pla, David Bautista, Nolan Gerard Funk, Keri Hilson, Bokeem Woodbine.
• The World of Riddick (10:50)
  A behind-the-scenes look at the design, construction, effects and filming of the alien planetary settings and creatures. Features interviews with director/writer David Twohy, production designer Joseph Nemec III, director of photography David Eggby, executive producer Samantha Vincent, visual effects supervisor Gunnar Hansen, puppeteer/creature effects lead artist Eric Fielder, special effect supervisor Ryal Cosgrove and actor Katee Sackhoff.
• Riddick: Blindsided* (5:29)
  An animated version of the Necromongers sequence from the beginning of the film.

Final Thoughts:

I was pleasantly surprised by Riddick as it reminded me of why I loved the original Pitch Black film that launched the franchise. This latest installment is a return to the man hunting/being hunted thriller aspect of the original film. The film is a perfect blend of action and humor while also furthering the Riddick mythology. The Blu-ray contains two versions of the film, along with over 50 minutes of bonus material. This comes highly recommended to fans of the franchise and new viewers alike.