Karl Urban And Vin Diesel Teamed Up For An Underrated Sci-Fi Movie

Critics weren't kind to "The Chronicles of Riddick" when it came out in 2004. The sequel to "Pitch Black," a sci-fi horror flick featuring "Yellowstone" star Cole Hauser, was dismissed as just another brainless Vin Diesel action vehicle at the time, but that's unfair. "The Chronicles of Riddick" was never going to win any Oscars, but it's a better movie than its naysayers would have you believe.

The story follows Richard B. Riddick (Diesel), an outlaw with a price on his head and every galactic mercenary on his tail. On top of that, he must save the universe from the Necromongers, a cult-like empire of zealots who want to destroy all life. Elsewhere, Karl Urban plays Commander Vaako, a Necromonger soldier with a groovy haircut who gets into it with Diesel's character.

"The Chronicles of Riddick" isn't a conventional sci-fi actioner about good versus evil. Riddick is mostly a self-serving anti-hero who kills people with teacups. Vaako leans to the bad side, but he has ulterior motives that aren't in the best interests of his leader, Lord Marshal (Colm Feore). With that in mind, why should viewers give David Twohy's critically maligned sci-fi film a chance?

"The Chronicles of Riddick" is an ambitious attempt to take its franchise to spectacular new heights. "Pitch Black" is a modest sci-fi horror film that sees Vin Diesel's character fight monsters on a single planet. "The Chronicles of Riddick," meanwhile, is a sprawling space opera that explores the wider reaches of the galaxy. The film benefitted from the hype around "The Lord of the Rings" and the prequels to the original "Star Wars" trilogy, at the time, with David Twohy and his team setting out to tell a story with grandeur and scope. 

It's totally bonkers, but in the best way. What's more, "The Chronicles of Riddick" is full of Shakespearean drama. Without going into heavy spoiler territory, Vaako's storyline is reminiscent of "MacBeth," which adds political intrigue to this tale of warring space empires and evil death cults. "The Chronicles of Riddick" throws a myriad of influences into its melting pot, but that's the beauty of it. 

Is this one of the best sci-fi movies ever made? No, but it is an earnest attempt to create a sprawling fictional universe that's drenched in lore and storytelling possibilities. The film's biggest issue is that it crams in more ideas than are needed. But "The Chronicles of Riddick" is never boring, and that goes a long way.