The Chronicles of Riddick
The Chronicles of Riddick
6.629%65%
The wanted criminal Richard Bruno Riddick arrives on a planet called Helion Prime and finds himself up against an invading empire called the Necromongers, an army that plans to convert or kill all humans in the universe.
RichyE reviewedOctober 19, 2025
If Pitch Black was a tight survival thriller, Chronicles of Riddick is the cinematic equivalent of Vin Diesel walking into a Dune cosplay convention and saying, “I’m the prophecy now.”
This sequel ditches the minimalist horror for full blown space opera, complete with necromongers, elemental beings and a Furyan backstory that sounds like it was written during a heavy metal concert.
Riddick returns, gruffer and glowier, caught in a war between the humans on Helion Prime and the death cult known as the Necromongers.
Karl Urban broods, Thandiwe Newton schemes and Judi Dench floats around like she’s in a BBC sci-fi special.
It’s messy, ambitious and gloriously over the top.
Watching it on DVD, especially the Director’s Cut, is a different beast.
The extended version adds depth, context and a bit more coherence to the chaos.
You get more lore, more violence and more Vin Diesel monologuing like he’s auditioning for a Shakespearean biker gang.
The theatrical cut felt rushed, but the Director’s Cut feels like the movie wanted to be epic.
The production design is lavish, the effects are solid for the era and the tone swings wildly between grimdark and camp.
It’s not subtle, but it’s sincere and that sincerity makes it weirdly endearing. Plus, the score slaps.
A bold, bloated sequel that trades shadows for spectacle.
Chronicles of Riddick is sci-fi excess with a gravel voiced heart and on DVD, especially the Director’s Cut, it earns its place as a cult classic. It’s like Conan the Barbarian in space, but with goggles and Judi Dench.