Pitch Black (2000)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Sadly Over-hyped

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

If you like super heroe action movies you must think about seen the Riddick triology. Well, don't! This one has the best plot and it' no good, but the special effects are the worst!!!

When their spaceship crashes on an outskirts planet, fears mount in regards to an incarcerated convicted murderer who fled captivity in the crash, however, the crew and passengers soon find something far more terrifying on the planet itself in this action thriller with a sci-fi twist. Relatively simple as the premise may be, it is undeniably effective with the film's best moments coming from the crew and passengers scurrying about in fear of Vin Diesel's killer, accidentally shooting one another in the process. The tension is not quite the same once Diesel decides to unite with the group to overcome the vicious alien presence on the planet, but there is still plenty to ponder over as all concerned find it so hard to trust Diesel even in the face of a very real alien threat. As for the alien presence on the planet, it brings up a whole gigantic slate of unanswered, perplexing questions, particularly in relation to their allergy to sunlight. Then there is the amazing coincidence of the characters crash landing just before the planet is about to plunge into several days of complete darkness - but this is a pretty decent film when one focuses on trust/mistrust themes and the portrait of diverse individuals all banded together in the name of a common goal to survive. Diesel is very good too in the role that really kick-started his career; he has an awesome line towards the end about saying good night, and with his blacked-out contact lenses and designer goggles, his character leaves an indelible impression that lasts long after the movie has ended.

When the transport ship "Hunter-Gratzner" is hit by a meteor shower, the pilot Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell) is awaken from the cryogenic sleep and tries to control the vessel with forty passengers. She is forced to release a module and only Carolyn; the bounty hunter William J. Johns (Cole Hauser); the religious Abu "Imam" al-Walid Lewis (Keith David); the dealer Paris P. Ogilvie (Lewis Fitz- Gerald); Sharon 'Shazza' Montgomery (Claudia Black); the runaway teenager Jack (Rhiana Griffith); John 'Zeke' Ezekiel (John Moore); Suleiman (Les Chantery); Hassan (Sam Sari); Ali (Firass Dirani); and the dangerous criminal Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel) survive. Riddick escapes and Johns scares the survivors telling how dangerous he is. The group is stranded in the desert and find that place is heated by three suns and they team-up to seek for water and supplies. Soon they discover that there are under siege of flesh eating aliens that attack in the darkness; further, the planet will be pitch black with a total eclipse. They conclude that it is not with Riddick that they have to be worried about.After sixteen years, "Pitch Black" is still a great B-movie that may be considered a new-classic in the present days. The story is engaging with good special effects. But the most amazing is the direction and the perfect casting of unknown actors and actresses. "Pitch Black" brought the attention of the audiences to Vin Diesel in his first success; Radha Mitchell, from "Everything Put Together" of the same year, is perfect in the role of Carolyn Fry; and the always efficient Cole Hauser and Keith David have also great performances. The noncommercial conclusion is also a plus of "Pitch Black". My vote is eight.Title (Brazil) "Eclipse Mortal" ("Mortal Eclipse")

This film has a lot of problems with its Pseudo science and CGI that other people are quick to point out when dismissing this film. However, while it may not be the most believable set of event the people in this film are very believable. Each individual character undergoes intense changes under the pressure of this alien situation. The exploration of how people act in survival situations is brilliant, and it provides a superb backdrop to the intense action that this film is full of. Its easy to call Pitch Black a dumb movie, because of the terrible sequels and the quick pace of the film. If you look closer though you can find a rich set of interactions with complex emotions being displayed. Its a lot more than what you might expect out of an sci fi action film, and still stands up as a classic in my books. If you want to hear more about these rich characters and there subtle interaction check out the video review below. There are spoilers though so beware. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwOUF9rvGlY