When their spaceship crashes on an outskirts planet, fears mount in regards to an incarcerated convicted murderer who fled captivity in the crash, however, the crew and passengers soon find something far more terrifying on the planet itself in this action thriller with a sci-fi twist. Relatively simple as the premise may be, it is undeniably effective with the film's best moments coming from the crew and passengers scurrying about in fear of Vin Diesel's killer, accidentally shooting one another in the process. The tension is not quite the same once Diesel decides to unite with the group to overcome the vicious alien presence on the planet, but there is still plenty to ponder over as all concerned find it so hard to trust Diesel even in the face of a very real alien threat. As for the alien presence on the planet, it brings up a whole gigantic slate of unanswered, perplexing questions, particularly in relation to their allergy to sunlight. Then there is the amazing coincidence of the characters crash landing just before the planet is about to plunge into several days of complete darkness - but this is a pretty decent film when one focuses on trust/mistrust themes and the portrait of diverse individuals all banded together in the name of a common goal to survive. Diesel is very good too in the role that really kick-started his career; he has an awesome line towards the end about saying good night, and with his blacked-out contact lenses and designer goggles, his character leaves an indelible impression that lasts long after the movie has ended.
Review of Pitch Black
