THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: DARK FURY. What happened just after Pitch Black
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury serves as a bridge between the first and second parts of the Riddick adventure cycle. This isn’t the first time such a technique has been used; viewers had previously seen animated (and more) stories set in the Matrix universe in The Animatrix – eight short stories that seamlessly fit into the reality of the human struggle against machines. I’ll just remind you that, in terms of the plot, they surpass what we were served in Revolutions.
To grasp the plot, some basic knowledge of the events in Pitch Black is necessary. A spaceship crashes on a desert planet, and some passengers die on the spot. One of the survivors is Riddick, an extremely dangerous murderer who modified his vision in prison, enabling him to see in the dark. If such a dangerous guy is on board, his escape is obvious, and it happens very quickly. The pursuit of the fugitive is not the focus of the film; it turns out the characters are in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s the beginning of a multi-decade night, and the local fauna comes to life. I won’t reveal what happens next, but escaping the planet is the only logical way out of this unpleasant situation. Since The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury is not a prequel, it’s clear that one of the survivors is Riddick, but not only him manages to escape – but that’s not important. Just watch Pitch Black before diving into the anime.
When I’m done, you’ll see a replay… up close…
The action starts almost in the same place where the first film ended. A vehicle with survivors is intercepted. Of course, the titular tough guy has no intention of giving up, and it’s worth noting that there’s a high reward for his head. So, there’s a very spectacular brawl in zero gravity in the hangar. The ship is managed by a mysterious woman with a rather peculiar hobby, and Riddick fits perfectly into her collection. How will it all end? I guarantee it will be very interesting, involving bloodthirsty creatures, knife duels, or confrontations in complete darkness.
If you try something indecent… like killing me...
The visual side of The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury is a successful combination of classic drawing and computer animation. It’s a somewhat controversial idea, but it must be admitted that the graphic designers did a great job, although I had doubts at the beginning – spaceships look a bit plastic. Only in the dark can you see why such a mixed way of presenting the action was chosen. Luminescent monsters look very impressive, and the huge cyborg made using cell shading also looks good. As for the drawing, I also have no objections; the style is somewhat comic-like, but the characters resemble their originals.
Animation is by far the best, incredibly dynamic, making both direct clashes and shootouts look excellent. The Machine Head band is responsible for the audio side, so there’s no need to worry about the appropriate musical background. The sounds of weapons, reloads, shots, etc., sound great. The interior of the ship (as the action mainly takes place there) is appropriately quiet, of course, until the next attack. Another significant advantage is the voice acting – the voices are selected excellently, partly because the same actors who appeared in the film parts of the cycle provided them.
When we meet again, I’ll push this knife into your eye…
The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury ends at the beginning of the next part of the cycle. I appreciate the efforts of those responsible for the overall image; they made sure that all parts seamlessly connect into one whole, and for that reason alone, it’s worth spending half an hour on The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury. It will be a time filled with action and excellent practice before the next film. I recommend it.
The author of the text: Dawid Karpinski.
EDITORIAL team