Be afraid of the dark (Pitch Black (DVD))

Member Name: cjkace

Product:	Pitch Black (DVD)
Date:	12/10/01 (122 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent cinematography, good story, cool effects

Disadvantages: Too much like the Aliens movies

I've read quite a few good opinions about Pitch Black, and from what I've read it sounded like a film I would enjoy, so when I was shopping for something new to watch I picked this, as I like sci-fi films quitw a lot.

The nearest film to this that I can think of is the original Alien movie, and Pitch Black actually starts in a similar fashion. A ship with people in suspended animation is travelling through space ( with a voice over about the effects of being asleep ) when something starts blasting holes in it, killing the ship's captain.

The docking pilot of the ship takes control and manages to 'land' the ship on a desert planet, which has three suns. The surviviors of the crash landing include a mercenary, a violent criminal, a female prospector, some religious pilgrims, an antiquities dealer, another male and the afore mentioned docking pilot who is also female,as well as a youngster.

Further exploration of the planet which they find themselves upon reveals a mining station, that has been abandoned, for some reason. As the film progresses we discover that their are other inhabitants of the planet that are vicious killers, but that cannot stand light.

On a planet with three suns this wouldn't be too much of a problem except that every twenty-two years there is an eclipse, which lets the beasties out to play. As I said it is very similar to the Alens movie, but the creatures are not as scary looking.

What I liked most about this movie was the cinematography. There are only so many ways to film a desert, but by using the fact that this planet has three suns (one yellow, one red and one blue), the director manages to make the scenery that little bit more interesting by using different coloured filters according to which sun was in the ascendancy. It makes for a very realistic scene.

The other thing that I really liked was the criminal from the space craft. He is an escaped murderer, t
hat was on his way back to prison, before they crash landed. The prison he escaped from was underground, and while there he had something done to his eyes to enable him to see in the dark. This makes his eyes look very weird ( sort of polished ) but once the eclipse sets in he is in his element.

While not as good as Alien, Pitch Black does hold it's own in what is admittedly a limited genre. It's enjoyable, not too frightening and the special effects people did a good job with the creatures. The acting is in the most part first rate, which is especially surprising as there are no big names whatsoever, but the criminal (played by the strangely named Vin Diesel) will undoubtedly appear in other higher profile films.

You get the usual extras on the DVD - commentaries, production notes, weblinks, and some trailers - but in all honesty I don't generally view the features, after all why would I want to watch the trailer when I've watched the whole movie? One thing to note is that there aren't any deleted scenes.

Anyway, if you get the chance, watch this film. It's good but not brilliant, but also doesn't get bogged down with unnecessary scenes. The film plays very smoothly with the story enfolding a quite a good pace.

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