By Brent McKnight | 8 years ago

Despite facing what, at times, seemed like insurmountable odds, star Vin Diesel and director David Twohy have finally managed to squeeze out another Riddick film. At least it certainly looks that way. Their labor of love has faced so many delays and setbacks, that until we see the movie in theaters (or at least commercials running during prime-time television), I won’t be entirely convinced. But this new international poster is definitely a step in the right direction.

After the low-budget Pitch Black out-performed everyone’s box office expectations, the sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, got a huge bankroll, only to do a belly flop, money-wise. While the second chapter is a fun little romp, it feels like it should be better than it is.

There are big flaws, to be sure. First it falls into the trap of trying to do too much. The filmmakers attempt to set up an entire universe worth of history and storylines, much to the detriment of the characters and main narrative line of the movie. Second, even though an infamous killer is the main character, the action is toothless and watered down for a PG-13 rating.

From all reports, Riddick will be more in line with the first film. The story sounds more personal and focused, and the film has already earned an R rating from the MPAA. Both of these are promising signs.

Riddick has been stranded on a desolate, sun-drenched planet. When the world’s inhabitants, vicious alien creatures, take issue with his presence, he has to fight for his life. His only avenue of escape is to alert the bounty hunters that constantly hound him as to his whereabouts. The first arrival carries a lethal new breed of mercenary, while the next transports someone with a personal score to settle with Riddick.

Seeing Riddick all bundled up in this poster, you get a good sense of the bleak, arid planet. Other than that, there’s not much information, but it’s nice to get even a glimpse at a movie that could turn out to be a lot of fun.