I quite enjoyed it. Big and dumb, and a lot of fun. Definitely some warts on it, but overall a pretty good antihero sci-fi flick. Great effects, cool visuals, kick-ass fights... a wicked hot female lead. Not much not to like unless you've got a hate on for the Vin man.

The ending was ripped straight out of Conan, but despite all that I came out with a grin on my face. It was no Star Wars, but it was no Wing Commander either!

I enjoyed Riddick a hell of a lot more than I enjoyed the last Star Wars movie. And apart from the fact that they both sit on thrones, there are no simillarities to Conan at all in the ending.
But hey, that's just me

hm.. was its previous name Pitch Black, and the new name chronicles of Riddick ? or was the sequel's name cor ? cant seem to remember.. :/

I believe Pitch Black was the prequel to Riddick (could be mistaken on this). I haven't seen either yet but I plan to go see Riddick this weekend.

hm.. according to imdb: Chronicles of Riddick, The (2004) aka "Pitch Black 2: Chronicles of Riddick" in other words it would be that way.. imdb link here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0296572/
in any case.. sounds like something I would like to watch someday soon.

Pitch Black came first, followed by Riddick. The reason they're not calling it Pitch Black two is twofold:

1. It's a different genre - PB was horror/sci-fi, and CoR is sci-fi/action.
2. More importantly, CoR is the first in a trilogy (assuming it makes enough money to warrant that) they plan to do called overall the Chronicles of Riddick. This is just the first installment. Calling it Pitch Black 2 when it's much less related to that than to the sequels to come seemed silly to them.

Yeah it was pretty cool, I got to go see the Private Pioneer screening before it came out and I thought it was pretty god, could have done with less of the "I am too bad for anything and anyone" crap that Vin does, but other than that it was cool.

awk.. and now I just have to wait for it to come here.. which will take forever.. :/

Saw it twice *heh* Once solo, once with friends..... hey-- I'll watch pretty much anything that promises an hour and a half of Vin Diesel larger than life on the silver screen.
**rrrrrrrroooOOOWWwwwwrrrrrrr**
Sure sure.... just another no-neck side-o'-beef.... but it's that VOICE that reduces my knees to jello.... I mean, I'd listen to his movies on the radio... I'd even listen to him read the traffic act..... yowza!

Anyhew, the movie was cool as long as you went in expecting it to deliver what it is - pithy plot, lotsa cheesy action scenes and cool sci-fi-ness.