DVD Review HTF Review: The Chronicles of Riddick - Unrated Director's Cut (2 Viewers)

[STARKILLER1138]

Mine should have been here today, but now it'll be Monday. I haven't seen COR yet, but I loved Pitch Black, and if this movie is even a ¼ as good I'll be happy.

 

[Shane Martin]

There are 2 different menus on the disc. Any idea other than the Easter Egg as far as differences between the 2 go?

I bought the Unrated DC.

 

[Jim Harvey]

For Canadians:

As I was searching for Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Volume Three today I browsed over the new DVD release of The Chronicles of Riddick. I was shocked to find that the packaging wasn't bilingual but...totally Engluish. No french text located anywhere on both the slipcase and regular keep case. Is Universal...listening?

 

[MattFini]

I picked up my copy today and poured through the film and its extras over the course of the day. I love this movie, one of my favorites of the year. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a sequel is likely, but I thought this one was excellent on its own.

 

[Don_Limey]

I had trouble finding this last night at my local Best Buy when I went to the typical Best Buy center display they have for marquee release titles each week & when I saw COR there I looked for the one with the bonus disc, then I found one with a special gold banner on top that says "Includes over 1 hour of additional bonus features" & then while turning over, I notice on the top edge it says "Best Buy content included". I guess this is their new way of including bonus discs with movies. Making their own special packaging. Anyone else out there get the same disc as me & if so did you have trouble finding it as well.

 

[David Illingworth II]

What did everyone think of the re-editing? I had mixed reactions. The fight scenes, especially the last one on Crematoria were a lot better, but I didn't love all the stuff with the dreams. The seemed overdone and the effects were not great ... the last dream especially bugged me ... just didn't feel right.
I was actually disappointed by some of the stuff taken out. For instance, I missed Aereon's closing voice-over, though the new version is good in it's own way.
Overall, the movie is better, it certainly gives a more in-depth look at Riddick's origins and the Necromongers, and I was surprised by how much new stuff there was.
Only noticed the picture shifts a few times.

 

[Shane Martin]

Did anyone else feel this movie was overly long?

 

[ChuckSolo]

I picked this up last night. The actual movie, I haven't seen the theatrical version, was good, as far as these movies go. I liked "Pitch Black" better. The DVD presentation was excellent though. The picture played on my Samsung DVD HD841 was stunning in 1080i mode and the sound was very, very good. My take, out of five stars:

Movie = :star: :star: :star:
PQ = :star: :star: :star: :star:
Sound = :star: :star: :star: :star:

Overall =

 

[Bryan Tuck]

I was disappointed by this in theaters, but I rented the DC, and I actually enjoyed it a little more this time. Maybe it was the extra 15 minutes, or maybe it was that I just was in the right mood. It's still no masterpiece, but it's not quite as bad as it seemed the first time I watched it. The middle still does drag a bit, and there parts that are way overblown, but I had more fun with it this time.

I may even buy it if I can find it at a significantly discounted price. We shall see.

 

[Jeff Krispow]

Here in the Los Angeles/Southern California area, both customers and Best Buy employees were essentially clueless as to which The Chronicles of Riddick DVDs actually contained the Best Buy exclusive Bonus Disc.

Unlike the packaging Don Limey found in his area, the Los Angeles Best Buy shipments had absolutely NO markings on the packaging denoting the Bonus Disc content. No label on the front, nor any "Best Buy content included" sticker.

However, with a little bit of deduction, I've discovered two methods for determining which packages contain the bonus disc:

The Easy Method: On the outer slipcase packaging, Best Buy had placed a new, larger sticker containing UPC barcoding on the back cover (in the top-right corner). At the top-right edge of the sticker is a five-digit code number:

• 00001 - Standard movie-only set, no bonus disc.
• 00027 - Special 2-disc packaging w/bonus disc.

The Harder Method: Unlike most Best Buy exclusive bonus discs, the Riddick bonus disc is not of the usual "paper sleeve inserted inside the DVD case" variety. Instead, Universal/Best Buy has packaged the Movie + Bonus Disc within a slim double keep case (i.e., the standard keep case with the flip insert). Due to the flip insert, the Bonus Disc packaging is noticeably heavier than the non-bonus disc packaging, and it's actually fairly easy (well, for me at least) to tell the difference between the two.

Anyway, folks should now have a fairly easy way of determining which packages actually contain the Riddick Bonus Disc.

You should note, however, that the method of labelling varies depending upon the Best Buy distribution regions/areas. Again, here in Los Angeles and apparently all (or most) of Southern California, we have the added UPC coding 00001/00027 sticker. However, in Don's Forth Worth, Texas region, discs are marked with the "Best Buy content included" labelling. There may be additional labelling difference in other regions.

Also, there's no guarantee that Universal/Best Buy has used the slim double keep case packaging in all areas; in some regions, the bonus disc might be in the usual paper sleeve and inserted into the case (thereby rendering the "weight difference" method void).

Don, just out of curiosity, did your Bonus Disc also come in the slim double case, or did Universal go with the cheap paper sleeve (or some other packaging)?

Hope this info proves helpful!

Regards,

 

[Patrick Sun]

In Atlanta, the outer sleeve of the package that had the bonus disc had a glittery border around the cover art, and the 00027 sticker on the backside of the sleeve.

 

[Jack _Webster]

Gave this a rental tonight. I've never seen Pitch Black and I've always been repulsed at the idea of watching anything with Vin Diesel and sure enough - for the first 20 minutes or so I felt assured that the movie wouldn't change my mind on that matter. However, I admit by the end of the film I grew to like his character and really enjoyed the movie. I actually wish I had seen it in the theater.

Gotta check out Pitch Black now. Great...I might end up becoming a closet Vin Diesel fan.

 

[Don_Limey]

Hi, Jeff, I saw your post & I am sorry but I haven't got a chance to open it yet. I picked it up after work Tuesday night before going to the big Mavs game we had here Tuesday night & yesterday I was at school but I plan on opening it tonight & I will post my update on it. I did notice that a moderator had removed my own thread of the subject of the Best Buy bonus discs & merged it with this thread of the review of COR. But I will keep you posted.

 

[StephenP]

In Anderson, SC they definately had two different slipcases, one with the gold banner at the top saying over an hour of extra blah blah blah, and the standard one which matches the inside art. I bought the modified cover, and there was an extra disc inside.

 

[Dave_H]

I was afraid to even rent this, luckily a friend let me borrow it.

This is one of the best looking DVDs I've seen lately. I think the picture quality was flawless thru the whole movie. Also for just being Dolby Digital, it has some great sound. I wonder what DTS would be like though? This is one of those DVDs you could show off your HT with. Surprisingly the movie isn't too bad after all, I actually liked it. It's not the greatest but I was expecting a complete Vin Diesel bomb. I'm going ot buy it today in fact.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Dave, I agree this is one heck of a DVD to use as an HT presentation disc.

Jack, I used to think the same way about Vin Diesel, but, to his credit he has had some pretty good movies of late (minus the "XXX" role). Actually even his role in "2Fast,2Furious" wasn't that bad and I actually liked him in "Man Apart." I think what really puts this disc heads above most though is the transfer quality and the sound. I could hardly detect ANY EE and the colors were rich and vibrant. This is one disc that I am actually glad had no DTS track since the loss of disc space due to DTS encoding may have made the PQ less outstanding. "Pitch Black" was a better movie, but much less of an excellent presentation as "COR."

 

[Will_B]

Can anyone direct me to where I can find info about what is actually on the Best Buy bonus DVD of Riddick? I see plenty of discussion about how the box has a different label, but I've found zilch on what the heck is on the bonus disc itself.

 

[RogerH]

This is another of the movies I'll be seeing for the first time when I see it on DVD. Gotta love getting all these movies for xmas

 

[Ernest Rister]

"...I've always been repulsed at the idea of watching anything with Vin Diesel..."

Like Saving Private Ryan and The Iron Giant? Some people include both of those in their lists of the best films of the 90's. Vin Diesel is a good guy, he just has a bad agent.

 

[Grant H]

Yes, he was absolutely EXCELLENT in 2 Fast, 2 Furious.
Like a totally different person.