Subject: Review: Pitch Black (2000)

From: Michael Dequina <[email-masked]>
Date: 23 Feb 2000 06:59:00 GMT

_Pitch_Black_ (R) ** (out of ****)

Much imagination can be seen in the science fiction thriller
_Pitch_Black_--and I mean "seen": in a time where all the far-off worlds
in distant galaxies have come to look the same, cinematographer David
Eggby has given the film's central planet a look that is distinctly new
and alien.  But that is the only thing free from the cookie cutter in
David Twohy's otherwise derivative action film.

The plot is a ripoff of _Aliens_, with a group of people marooned on a
desert planet being hunted down by ravenous alien creatures; these
creatures themselves resemble the Alien, with a couple of alterations
(the most major one being that some have wings).  There is another added
wrinkle--they only come out in the dark, and when the planets multiple
suns undergo simultaneous eclipse, the humans must band together to
survive.

Just who are these humans, anyway?  There is very little
characterization in the script by Twohy and Jim and Ken Wheat.  The
ostensible lead is fry (Radha Mitchell), a pilot with the requisite
personal trauma, which is linked to the crash that placed them on the
planet.  The other two main characters are just as shallow, but at least
they're given some type of memorable characteristic (everyone else
isn't).  Johns (Cole Hauser) is a lawman who is perhaps even shadier than
his prisoner, the murderer Riddick (Vin Diesel), who has special night
vision enhanced eyes.  Riddick's escape from custody makes for a tedious
timekilling subplot before the alien story gets underway; with all the
others fearing for their lives while trying to locate him, the film
resembles an outer space slasher film.

Character is not as important as action and effects in films such as
_Pitch_Black_, and while competently done, nothing here breaks any new
ground in those departments; the slow-mo and quick cut style Twohy uses
is a pale imitation of John Woo.  What is fresh, as I had mentioned, is
Eggby's sterling cinematography.  The early exterior shots on the planet
are striking, with all the colors washed out other than garish shades of
yellow.  Another interesting conceit is that each of the planet's three
sons bear a different hue; as such, when in the light of the blue sun,
for instance, the image is awash in blue, etc.

Such striking use of color goes out the window when the key eclipse
takes place, and _Pitch_Black_'s look matches its title.  From that point
on, with the action and effects failing to really dazzle, one looks to
Twohy to provide something of interest in the story.  But no such thing
ever comes, and the virtual absence of humor backfires, ironically making
the some of the proceedings laughable (the overwrought "emotional"
moments come off especially ridiculous).  _Pitch_Black_ may actually
please most audiences for capably executing most of its desired task, but
it takes something a bit more to make a lasting impression in a crowded
genre.

Michael Dequina
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