The Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction / fantasy / thriller film. It follows the adventures of Richard B. Riddick, as he attempts to elude capture after the events depicted in the 2000 film Pitch Black. It was directed by David Twohy, also the director of Pitch Black, and stars Vin Diesel (also co-producer), Karl Urban and Judi Dench, with Thandie Newton and Colm Feore.
"The Chronicles of Riddick" is the actual name of this film, though Universal has chosen to use it as an overall brand name for anything starring the character Riddick. Consequently, the 2003 re-release of Pitch Black was retitled The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black on the case (though the on-screen title remained the same), the animated short film The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury and the video game prequel / spin off was called The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.
The film opens with a narrative, explaining the presence of the Necromongers, a race of pilgrims travelling across the universe in search of the Underverse. Their leader, the "holy half-dead Lord Marshal" (Colm Feore), systematically commands his Necromonger Legion Vast to overrun worlds and convert its inhabitants into Necromongers; those that oppose conversion die. The story begins with Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel) evading bounty hunter Toombs (Nick Chinlund) on the icy world of UV VI. Following the events of Pitch Black, Riddick has been on the run for five years in an attempt to keep his friends Imam (Keith David) and Jack (Alexa Davalos) safe. A 1.5 million bounty is placed on Riddick's head and Toombs and his crew attempt to capture the rogue convict, but ultimately fail when Riddick steals Toombs’ ship and flies off towards the planet Helion Prime, in search of Imam.
- In the Director's Cut, Riddick is plagued by visions from a character named Shirah during the flight, who tells Riddick he is the last of a warrior-race called the Furyans.
When Riddick lands on Helion Prime, he confronts Imam in the city of New Mecca, demanding the removal on the bounty, but Imam concedes he placed the bounty after Jack went looking for him several years earlier and ended up in prison on the planet Crematoria. Imam states he is still Riddick's friend and only betrayed his trust so he could see him again, and so his people could have a fighting chance against their enemies. He introduces Aereon (Judi Dench), an envoy of the Elementals, who arranged for Riddick to be brought to Helion. She explains he is part of a prophecy that states a lone Furyan will one day challenge an unstoppable evil and bring balance back to the universe, to which she says the Necromongers are the ones the prophecy foretells.
Following this revelation, the Necromonger army attacks Helion Prime, and wipes out the planet’s defenses in one night. Imam is killed in the attack while protecting his family. An enraged Riddick heads to where Helion Prime survivors are gathered before the Necromongers and the Lord Marshal and dispatches Imam's killer easily. Suspicious of his abilites, the Lord Marshal has Riddick taken into his fortress to confirm his identity. Placed before the psychic Quasi-Deads, who claim Riddick is a Furyan, the Lord Marshal orders his death, but he escapes, only to run into Toombs again. Riddick allows himself to be captured, so he can be transported to Crematoria, a dead world with day-time surface temperatures that scorch the face of the planet.
Riddick is reunited with Jack, who now goes by the name of Kyra. She blames him for leaving her and Imam in New Mecca, but eventually they reconcile. Back on Helion Prime, the Lord Marshal commands Necromonger Commander Vaako (Karl Urban) to find Riddick and have him killed. Vaako is curious as to why the Lord Marshal is so afraid of Riddick. With encouragement from his rabidly ambitious wife, Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton), the two learn prior to obtaining his current title, the Lord Marshal singlehandedly destroyed the Furyans' homeworld of Furya and its citizens, after a seer foretold that a male Furyan will cause his downfall. They deduce Riddick is the one in the prophecy, thus Vaako sets out to Crematoria with a small group of Necromongers and a Purifier to bring him down.
When Toombs and his crew argue over Riddick's bounty with (Imbornoni and Keck) the prison warden and his guards, a gunfight erupts, after the warden is alerted to the incoming Necromongers, having picked up the trail left behind by Toombs' ship. The warden and guards escape, running through man-made tunnels towards the ship hangar, but locking the rest of prison down to prevent the inmates from escaping. Riddick, Kyra and some of the inmates decide to head to the surface and stay ahead of the rising sun and the conflagration it creates on the surface, hoping to reach Toombs' ship first. They reach the hangar, but Vaako and his contingent of soldiers have arrived on the planet, hastily taking out the warden and his guards. Riddick and company are forced to fight the Necromongers.
Amidst the numerous casualties, Vaako narrowly defeats Riddick and leaves him for dead, as the rising sun burns Crematoria's surface. Vaako and the surviving Necromongers make their escape, taking Kyra, who believes Riddick has perished. Riddick almost burns to death, but is suddenly saved by the Purifier, who claims the Lord Marshal has offered to spare Riddick's life in exchange for assurance that Riddick will not attempt to kill him. The Purifier goes on to say Vaako will likely claim Riddick's death, in fear of failure, leaving the Lord Marshal vulnerable. Before walking into the sunlight and his death, the Purifier reveals himself to also be a Furyan.
Vaako returns to the Legion Vast, where the Lord Marshal promotes him. Riddick flies Toombs’ ship back to Helion Prime, intent on rescuing Kyra. Marshal orders the "Ascension Protocol", which will ultimately destroy Helion Prime and its survivors. However, Dame Vaako has seen Riddick, but suggests to her husband that he be allowed to fight the Lord Marshal, hopefully injuring him and allowing Vaako to deal the final blow and assume power based on the Necromongers philosophy "you keep what you kill". Riddick makes his way to the throne room, where he comes face to face with the Lord Marshal, who reveals Kyra has converted to their faith. Furious at her betrayal, Riddick does battle with the Lord Marshal, whose unique powers prove too great for Riddick to handle.
Before the Lord Marshal can deliver the coup de grâce, Kyra stabs him in the back, but he backhands her into a spike on a column, mortally wounding her. Vaako, sensing an opportunity to vanquish his superior and claim leadership, strikes out at the Lord Marshal, who escapes the blow with his powers, but mistakenly positions himself directly next to Riddick. Riddick stabs him in the head, ending the Lord Marshal's life. He turns to the wounded Kyra, who confirms she has always been with him before succumbing to her injuries. As he collapses on the Necromonger throne, the Legion Vast kneel before him, while Riddick repeats the Necromonger adage, "you keep what you kill".
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