'Riddick' rocks the screen again

There are goggles on his eyes, blades in his hands and a bounty on his head. His name is Riddick, and the story, like the title suggests, is all about him. \nIn "The Chronicles of Riddick," writer/director David Twohy's sequel to "Pitch Black" (2000), Riddick (Vin Diesel) is wanted by mercenaries so they can receive the bounty on his head. Aereon (Judi Dench) is looking for him so he can help save her people. And Lord Marshal (Colm Feore) is out to convert him to the Necromonger faith, allowing them to continue taking over the universe without any hang-ups. It's a big universe, and everyone seems to know Riddick's name. \nLord Marshal, the "holy half-dead" leader of the Necromongers is prone to stealing souls, and he's got a nasty case of imperialism. His entourages' hobbies include visiting planets, forcing their inhabitants to become part of their fleet and killing anyone who doesn't comply. Needless to say, Riddick doesn't comply. \nRiddick, as a member of the superior warrior race, the Furians, is Lord Marshal's only threat. But after Riddick and Lord Marshal first meet, Riddick is captured by the mercs and catches a ride to the underground prison where he plans to look for Jack. Jack is the young boy, who turned out to be a girl in "Black," and who turns out in this movie, to be Kyra (Alexa Davalos). Kyra, Riddick's protégé, doesn't exactly give him a warm welcome, but quickly becomes Riddick's sole companion and devout comrade, and the pair team up for a gripping escape. It almost works out for them, but the bad guys capture Kyra, and the hero has to go get his girl.\nThere's a small side-plot that involves a Necromonger couple trying to overthrow Lord Marshal, but I think the only purpose of it was to toss another attractive actress (Thandie Newton) into the mix, not that anyone is complaining. \nWhile watching "Black," you're likely to jump, but it's more probable that you will be perched on the edge of your seat during "Riddick." Intense fight scenes abound in the film, and death constantly threatens every character. With inventive weapons, including a tea cup, and creative killing tactics, the action is explosive. Whenever Riddick's heroics become too embellished, light-hearted humor kicks in with the dialogue, and the audience is reminded not to take it all too seriously.