PITCH BLACK. Sci-Fi Horror: When Vin Diesel Was Cool as Hell

Is it possible to design a movie using typical (or rather, overused) elements so that it could become a cult classic in the future? Although this seems difficult, the creators of Pitch Black succeeded. They laid out familiar pieces – a cosmic adventurer, mysterious monsters, an unfriendly planet, a survivalist edge – and tightened them into one captivating whole. You won’t find originality in Pitch Black, nor will you find technical fireworks. You won’t find anything in it that you haven’t already seen in science fiction cinema. But there is enough of the cosmic atmosphere here to light up even the deepest darkness.

Although it’s hard to imagine today, Richard B. Riddick almost ended up being a woman. In the original concept of the film, there was no mention of a bald man who could see in the dark. Nightfall – the title the film had before it became Pitch Black – told the story of a woman named Tara Krieg, a member of an interplanetary tribe of barbarians. Some of this idea was carried over to Riddick, as we learn in more detail in The Chronicles of Riddick, the sequel to the story of the cosmic outlaw. However, none of this would have happened if, at the time, in 2000, the creators hadn’t faced another dilemma: should the main character be killed off, or should he survive?

Pitch Black was intended to be a standalone film. During production, however, the creators became so immersed in Riddick’s character that they decided not only to save him but also to base an entire series of films on him. They even added background information (which allowed the actor to better embody the character), according to which Riddick was a cosmic rebel fighting for a just cause, but unable to find any trace of justice in the universe. Riddick was a soldier performing various assignments for a private company on the moon of Sigma 3. He spoke out against the local system and customs, publicly revealing that life on the moon was akin to slavery, and the personnel enforcing the law murdered and tortured the workers. In this way, through evidence tampering, Riddick ended up in prison, from where he was sent straight into the action of Pitch Black.

If I had to recommend a film that Pitch Black has a lot in common with, it would definitely be the Alien series. Once again, we have a small group of people who, isolated on an alien planet, face a deadly threat in the form of mysterious, hard-to-control creatures. But Pitch Black has another, significant connection with the cult series. Darkness? Brutality? Yes, but not only that. David Twohy, the creator of both Pitch Black and its sequel, was also one of the authors of the 1989 script for the third installment of Alien. Fate took a different turn, and Twohy had to go without it, but as they say, nothing is lost in nature. In 2000, when he was invited to create Pitch Black, Twohy decided to revisit some ideas from that script (including the motif of a space prison) and adapt them into the new film.

Although darkness is the main element of the atmosphere in Pitch Black, a few memorable frames from the film were created under the full desert sun. This is where we find a connection with another, also third (in order of the series) sci-fi film – Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Pitch Black was filmed in the same Australian location as the third Mad Max, namely Coober Pedy. Riddick, in a certain way, is also similar to Max. Both fiercely defend their cause, care little for others, and are not afraid to cross an unspoken boundary if necessary. They are not afraid to become bad in order to fight for good.

Since I’m already on the subject of the main character, it’s worth emphasizing that he is the most important and the most interesting element of the reviewed film. Without a doubt. This breakthrough role for Vin Diesel contains all the traits of a classic antihero. Riddick is a scoundrel who has been through a lot in life and done even more wrong, but riding on the fumes of morality, he can still stand on the right side of the barricade. And that’s why we like him – although he is not a role model to follow, his strength, charisma, and uncompromising attitude allow him to instantly become a true idol. Add to this his night-vision ability, which gives him an advantage over the rest of the group, a cool knife, an athletic build, a roguish expression, and a very distinctive voice, and we have a hero made from a mix of qualities who successfully led his own film series.

The Chronicles of Riddick, which premiered in 2004, divided audiences, as it expanded the original, minimalist concept with new planets, journeys, and politics. I liked it, but it’s hard to disagree with those who believe that this character feels best in the darkness. That’s why Riddick, released in 2013, is one of the best comebacks of recent years and proof that while Vin Diesel may be known to the world from Fast and Furious, for sci-fi fans, he will always be the cosmic adventurer Richard B. Riddick.

And Pitch Black? Besides the terrifying atmosphere, I also like the suggested vision of the future. It’s not necessarily something to be happy about. Belief in God, morality, tradition? There’s a chance that it will remain. But in a situation of threat, we will always behave like animals. We will have to find the wolf among us and let it speak.