Pitch Black
After a spaceship crash strands a fearful group on a three-sunned desert planet, a dangerous convict may be their only defense against the creatures awakened by darkness.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- oppressive
- visceral
- late night horror viewing
- sci-fi movie marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the premise and Vin Diesel’s breakthrough performance compelling, while viewing the film as derivative and formulaic genre entertainment.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Carolyn Fry and the survivors must rely on escaped convict Richard B. Riddick despite fearing his violence.
The planet’s darkness arrives every 22 years and releases flesh-eating creatures from underground.
Riddick’s enhanced night vision and the planet-wide blackout determine who can see, move, and survive.
The crash survivors include a pilot, bounty hunter, religious man, settlers, a teenager, and a dangerous prisoner.
Films like Pitch Black, and why
Aliens
shared survival horror, extraterrestrial monsters, and hostile alien environments
The Descent
shared stranded-on-an-alien-world premise, science fiction adventure, and creature threat
The Thing
shared monster horror, claustrophobic survival tension, and blue-collar ensemble dynamics
The Chronicles of Riddick
shared dark science fiction, morally ambiguous antihero, and dystopian action atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- David Twohy
- Release Date
- 2000-02-18
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (4975)
Cast
- Vin Diesel
- Radha Mitchell
- Cole Hauser
- Lewis Fitz-Gerald
- Claudia Black
- Keith David
- Rhiana Griffith
- John Moore
- Simon Burke
- Les Chantery
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Pitch Black about?
- After a spaceship crash strands a fearful group on a three-sunned desert planet, a dangerous convict may be their only defense against the creatures awakened by darkness.
- What is Pitch Black like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Pitch Black as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Pitch Black violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Pitch Black as brutal.
- What did critics think of Pitch Black?
- Critics generally found the premise and Vin Diesel’s breakthrough performance compelling, while viewing the film as derivative and formulaic genre entertainment.
- Which films are like Pitch Black?
- Films with a similar feel include Aliens, The Descent, The Thing, and The Chronicles of Riddick.
- How long is Pitch Black?
- Pitch Black runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Pitch Black?
- In United States, Pitch Black is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
