Pitch Black

Think back to when you were a kid. It's bedtime, and do you remember asking for the lights to be kept on while you fell asleep? Do you remember why? No? Perhaps this film might remind you. Or more likely, it'll remind you of the 1980s classic Alien and its sequels.

So what's the story? Well, we are presented with a spaceship transporting passengers and the like, when, as fate would have it, they are forced to crash land onto a desolate planet. There are a few survivors of the crash, a convict and his captor (isn't there always...), archaeologists and a group of religious folk; all of the crew are killed, except for one (just think Ripley). What follows is this group of survivors' desperate search for a way to escape the barren sun-scorched planet.

As if trekking through an unknown planet in inhospitable conditions isn't bad enough, the survivors learn that the planet is already occupied by an alien species which happens to be carnivorous - and which has a bad case of the munchies.

This film is in many ways very similar to Alien, except now the aliens have a slight disadvantage in that they only come out at night. But wait! Isn't it just lucky that three suns surround this planet! But wait! (Gasp!) A triple solar eclipse is about to occur! And as you can imagine the planet's natural inhabitants are planning one hell of a celebration. It seems all I'm doing now is slating the film, but let's be fair. This film was made as a sci-fi thriller, a gory shocker. As tradition dictates, it's pretty much devoid of actors with ability or any sort of original plot. Now, if we judge it for what it is: a visual stunner. The special effects capture most of your attention. As with many films nowadays, plot and character building is gives way to an extremely tasty piece of tasty eye-candy. Here the film succeeds very well. The dark setting provides a suspenseful atmosphere that combines with the special effects to create exciting scenes.

So, this won't be the most disappointing film you'll ever see, but just the same, it's not a masterpiece. Go see it for an entertaining, slightly schlocky, entertaining visual feast.

Ian Yeung