In the live-action The Chronicles of Riddick, Riddick is part of the problem: An intriguing character when kept in the shadows for much of Pitch Black, he’s become infinitely less interesting as an out-and-out action hero, losing all sense of mystery.

The animation style suits the storyline, with the anime versions of familiar roles nicely adapted from their three-dimensional counterparts.

Ultimately, the film is a safe, engineered bridge between the first and second Riddick films, without the ambition of either.

The overlying message of Dark Fury seems to say "Be the mange you want to see in this world." Too bad too few of the films featuring the Riddick character really embodied that kooky kernel of wisdom.