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The Chronicles of Riddick Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 2.0
    38

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Generally unfavorable reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 20

    out of 100

    Variety David Rooney

    May not quite gain entry to the hallowed pantheon of interstellar cheese of a "Battlefield Earth," but it's not far behind.

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  • 30

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Manohla Dargis

    Not since John Travolta sprouted a head of dreadlocks and strapped on platform boots for "Battlefield Earth" has cinematic science fiction been such good-bad fun as in The Chronicles of Riddick.

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  • 38

    out of 100

    USA Today Claudia Puig

    Has a riddick-ulous sci-fi plot, overblown and numbing video game-style special effects and a going-through-the-motions lead performance by Vin Diesel.

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  • 40

    out of 100

    The New York Times Stephen Holden

    The action is so frenetic that the ominous mood isn't allowed to penetrate, and this time the human factor is all but erased.

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  • 40

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

    Unfortunately, Twohy has tried to turn the Riddick enterprise into a sprawling, Tolkien-powered epic, jamming the screen with too many historical parallels and a confusion of new characters.

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  • 50

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    Chronicles doesn't pause for much character development, and is in such a hurry that even the fight scenes are abbreviated chop-chop sessions.

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  • 50

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    This is a movie so devoted to metal that it couldn't care less about the flesh it destroys.

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  • 50

    out of 100

    Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

    Despite being positioned as a mold-breaker, Riddick now blends in with a sizable crowd of reluctant loner cinematic heroes, just as the movie fails to convince that it's going where no movie has gone before.

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  • 63

    out of 100

    ReelViews James Berardinelli

    Too often, it simply makes no sense.

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  • See all The Chronicles of Riddick reviews at Metacritic.com

For Families provided by Common Sense Media

Iffy for 14+

Very violent and brainless explosion movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this action movie isn't very good, and it has intense and graphic violence for a PG-13, including people getting fried in intense heat and a lot of fighting. Other things to note: characters are in constant peril and many are killed, there are a few four-letter words, and a character speaks of being forced into prostitution. Two of the movie's few strengths are that there are diverse characters on both sides and the way it makes clear that the good guys stand for tolerance.

  • Families can talk about the inspiration for some of the movie's terms like Necromancer and Crematoria and some of its themes, patched together from sources like the Bible (especially the story of Moses and the Pharaoh) and Shakespeare (especially Macbeth). They may also discover parallels between the conflicts in the movie and some historical conflicts between totalitarian regimes and those who fight for freedom.

What to watch for
  • violence false5

    Violence: Intense and graphic violence, characters in frequent peril, many killed.

  • sex false3

    Sex: Sexual references, including forced prostitution, some groping.

  • language false3

    Language: A few four-letter words.

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue

Fan Reviews provided by

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by WetBack39906

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