OVERALL: Better than I thought it would be. Was not a complete rehash of first film.

POINTS:  Pretty movie. I liked the CGI alien dog. 🙂 

PITFALLS: This movie had a rehash feel that it did dodge but still. I don’t know why Riddick had to be on a planet and fight off critters at night – again. Yes the story was different but well, I was expecting more. I am also relived that it wasn’t the original file Pitch Black, all over again. Whew.

This movie felt like a bit set back. Pitch Black was so incredible. It had three female characters who were all unique and different from each other and weren’t there as objects for the men. They had their own agendas and character arcs. Then The Chronicles of Riddick had DAME JUDI DENCH AS AN ELEMENTAL!!!! OMG!!! A senior, powerful actress moving the plot forward and show her own character power. She was not there for the male gaze, she was there to be AWESOME! And she was.

So I was really looking forward to lack of sexist nonsense in Riddick and alas, I was deeply disappointed. Only one woman was really in the movie and she well, I love Katee Sackhoff and she had her moments but the movie could have done so much more. Read more below in Female Character(s).

FEMALE CHARACTER(S):  Yup. Our heroine, Dahl, had many good moments throughout the movie. She also had some very stereotypical moments (falling for the hero when she says she won’t; being upset about a potential killing; being the only one to take a sink bath when the guys weren’t – oh wait that was the rationale to get her nude. *raspberry*)   Then again she have a few lines and moments that almost made up for the silly ones. Not our heroine’s fault. She was written that way. And yes I’m sure they wanted her name to sound like “doll” so all of the men could call her doll. Odd. Kinda fun, but odd.

CULTURAL PITFALL(S): [Possible SPOILERS]

• 1. Nudity. No wait, Female Nudity. No, that’s not it, Gratuitous Female Nudity. Yup, that’s it. First we have some women, four to be exact, rolling around in a bed nude, clearly there to service Riddick in his position as head of the Necromongers. Really? Ok, so women are offered up as objects – sex objects – to a powerful man in the Necromonger world.  Wow. Way to look at women as people. (Plus they were full nude and I found it really odd that the one we saw had no pubic hair. My thing and a subject for another discussion later on.)  Then Dahl had to get naked so we could check out, albeit briefly, Katee Sackhoff’s breasts. I’m sure this scene was supposed to show how stealthy Riddick was but I call BS. They could have accomplished the same thing without Ms. Sackhoff having to get naked. Plus, it would have made the movie edgier and would have defied movie expectations. Sad they didn’t do that.
• 2. Nudity or Lack Thereof/Only Silhouette for the Guys. Really?  So do we see the men walking around vulnerable and naked? No, Yes I know you will say but but Riddick was naked. He was naked in SILHOUETTE people!! And it was far away. This did not pose vulnerability for the actor or the character. Plus he might not have been naked as it was a far away silhouette. None of the other men had any of their clothing removed. It was silly. I’m tired of women having to take their clothes off and the men don’t. Even this one up.
• 3. Lesbian Dissing. Look, I know it is a cherished belief held by stupid men that lesbians really want a real man and when they find one they will stop being lesbians. WRONG!!! JUST FRAKKING WRONG!!! Shame, shame, shame on you Riddick film makers for the heroine offering to sleep with Riddick at the end of the film BOO!!!!! Uh, no.
• 4. The Mary Sue Says It Best.  I was going to write more but then I read Zoe Chevat‘s review of the movie – Riddick Me This: What’s Sexism Got To Do With Monsters? – and knew I had to link. She has many more wonderful points. Read it and enjoy. Plus subscribe to The Mary Sue ’cause it is great.

HIGH POINT(S): 1. Dog! Well, alien dog!  2. Raoul Trujillo. 3. Bokeem Woodbine.  4. Respectful treatment of each other shown by the one group of mercenaries, i.e., Sackhoff’s group. 5. Unique film scenery. 6. KATEE SACKHOFF!!  

BECHDEL TEST (Website): At the time of writing this post, the Bechdel Test Website could not be reached. (Personally I think they need a new server as I have had a hard time accessing the site for some time.) However I would give it a 0 of 3 as there is only one named woman. (Note: Katee Sackhoff felt it was “nerve-wracking” being the only woman on set.)

IMDB:  Riddick (2013)

OFFICIAL MOVIE WEBSITE:  Riddick

DVD/BLU-RAY WORTHY: Yup.

 LION PAW PRINTS:  2 of 5. This means the movie was good, but disappointing for reasons listed and linked above.