Two Translations for the Second Score Article

Thanks To Dia for this translation (Both can be views on the UVDFC message board and Main Site)

    The futuristic universe in which Riddick evolved permits the deployment of extraordinary imagination in matters of mythology and new characters. Karl Urban (Eomer from The Lord of The Rings) explains:” In the Lord of The Rings we had the support of an established mythology with the characters already popular before the film. In that one (Riddick), Twohy wrote the universe of Riddick entirely from scratch and made something incredible. He used common points between myths and legends, so all the world, from north to south and east to west will get the feeling of knowing it. In a certain way it is both inconveniency and luxury compared to LOTR. It’s an inconveniency because we don’t have the support of a brilliant book. It’s advantageous because we can believe the world we want, we are free. The only limit, our own imagination. It’s on us to raise the ceiling of our thoughts.”

    This total liberty had to go through choices of actions the structure of the film’s universe was based upon. Thus in COR there are two categories of enemies: the false (not true) and the true. Toombs, incarnated by Nick Chinlund is a false. “A merc that has to capture Riddick. There is a whole world of mercs in Riddick We are the forces of order of the future. Toombs is a bloke (guy) of the old ways, that gets the work done and wants to do it well. For him, Riddick is an outlaw and for that he has to trap him. The stake for us was to make Toombs be liked by the public, even if he is looking to capture the hero.”

    This character can possibly be considered Riddick’s alter ego, a tough guy, but fundamentally good. This psychology permits imagining all the possible evolutions of the role, notably the one where he becomes the hero’s ally. In what concerns the real enemies, the Necromongers, Twohy has given them serious motives for wanting everything destroyed. Colm Feore who has the role of their chief, Lord Marshal, describes in this way the importance of his role and of the army he is in charge of: “What I love about the Necrorace is that they have existed as humans. We have passed through several stages of purification and we have now reached a different level of understanding the world. We have lived through all the real pains of life and we have looked for a way (medium) to get rid of them. I imagine liberating oneself from these pains is one of the grand obsessions of an individual. For me the character of Lord Marshal is like that of Julius Ceasar. He wants to conquer the universe, and he is motivated by a great vision, an exceptional plan. He is evil in the measure of conquest and of death, but his goal is to create a just world. If he destroys is because he will rebuild. According to him the ashes have to give rise to a new civilization. In my opinion he is not evil in his perspective. David Twohy has created him as a ancient character, Shakespearean or biblical. He is based on a large number of classical elements that render him brilliant. He is the head of an immense power. He is Rome.”

    Shakespeare is one of the references mentioned most frequently in order to give the dimension of the characters. Karl Urban spoke about the role of Lord Vaako, the right arm of Lord Marshal. “Vaako is a major of the Necromonger armies. He is a bit of an archetypal Mc Beth. There is a point down the road that he will reconsider his life with his wife, played by Thandie Newton. he is a fearless warrior. He does all the dirty work for lord Marshal, notably to kill Riddick”.

    From this ensemble of elaborate intentions and deep feelings (sentiments), the film of most powerful (brutal) action of the summer must emerge. Many works have demanded this double position, to be a Greek Tragedy and a blockbuster (Matrix, the Hulk) but if you notice well only few works have furnished their characters with so much material. Following this logic COR is far more than a blockbuster. It’s a vengeance, the offensive return of those who gleam (flame) dying in the end. A true epical film, in the theater of universal drama in its infinity.

Thanks to Annabianca

RIDDICK .2

    COR joins the line of megalomaniac and imposing movies such as Star Wars or LOTR and brings us back to sagas developing their own universes on several levels.
David TWOHY movie invents cosmos again, the relationship between men and God and opens our imaginary to a new characters’ gallery. This month, our journey take us to the dark side of adventure and introduce you to the race of the damned, villains and non-believers interposing between Riddick and his mission.

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    The futuristic universe in which Riddick lives allows an extraordinary imagination when it comes to mythology and new characters. Karl Urban (Eomer in LOTR) explains : “In LOTR, we were lucky to have the mythology support already existing. The characters were already popular before the movie. Here, David Twohy wrote the whole Riddick universe and he did something incredible. He found a way to use common points between all myths and legends so people, from North to South and from East to West, could find themselves in this story.
In a way, it’s a disadvantage and a luxury compared to LOTR. It’s a disadvantage, because we did have the support of a wonderful book. It’s a good thing since it allows us to create the world we want ; we are free. The only limit is our imagination. We have to raise the roof of our thoughts.”

    This absolute freedom implies hard choices in order to get a structured movie. So, in COR, there are 2 categories of bad guys : the false ones and the true ones. Played by Nick Chinlund, Toombs is a false one. “He’s a merc in charge of Riddick’s capture. There’s a whole merc world in Riddick. We are the future force. Toombs is an old school guy, who does his job and wants to it well. For him, Riddick is an escaped convict he has to catch. The challenge, for us, is to make the audience like Toombs, even if he wants to get the hero.”. This character can be seen as Riddick’s alter-ego, a tough guy, but basically good. This psychology let us the possibility to imagine every possible evolution of the character, including the one in which Toombs becomes our hero’s ally.

    Concerning the true enemies, the Necromongers, Twohy gave them serious incentives so they would like to destroy everything. Colm Feore, playing Lord Marshall, their leader, describes his character and his army : “ What I like in the Necro-kind, is that we’ve been human once. We went through different purification steps and now, we’re on another level of comprehension. We lived all the life pains and tried to find a way to get rid of them. I think that freeing from our pains is one the biggest individual obsessions. For me, Lord Marshall character is like Julius Caesar. he wants to conquest the universe and is motivated by a great vision, an exceptional plan. He’s bad, since all this reaching his goal implies conquest and death, but it’s in order to create an equal world.
If he destroys, it’s to build again. According to him, from ashes should raise another civilization. In my opinion, he’s bad depending on which angle you look. David Twohy built him like an antique character, Shakespearian and biblical. It comes from classical elements, which makes it brilliant. His power is huge. He’s Roma.”

    Shakespeare is one of the most quoted reference when it comes to the characters style. Karl Urban also refers to it when he talks about the character of Vaako, Lord Marshall’s most trusted man. « Vaako is a commander of the Necromongers army. He’s a lot like Mc Beth. He’s somewhere on a road, where he thinks about his life with his wife, played by Thandie Newton. He’s a fearless warrior. He does all the dirty work for Lord Marshall, which includes killing Riddick ».

    From this mix of complicated intentions and deep feelings must come the violent action movie of the summer. Many good movies claim to be in the same double genre, Greek tragedy as well as teeth broken (HULK, THE MATRIX…). But as we look closer, very few movies gave their characters such a consistency.
Following this logic, COR is more than a big hit. It’s a revenge, the renewed attack of those who blaze for better dying at the end. A true epic movie, in which the universe and its infinity is the scene on which the drama is played.
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PICS
    page 2 :
Above : set of the jail in which Riddick is imprisoned. It's where he meets Kyra, the bald little girl he saved in BP. History is repeating, since he'll have to escape with her again. Under, Toombs, 'bad face' but a good heart.

    page 4 :
Riddick will fight the Necromongers, a warriors race which leader is Lord Marshal (Colm Feore, under). Vaako (Karl Urban, above) is his most trusted man. But, as in every David Twohy’s movie, the fight won’t be Manichean. In a certain way, COR is a reference to the crusades. When Catholics used to invade countries in order to « educate them » and when the people used to defend themselves in the name of liberty. On each side, everybody used to believe that their own fight was the good one. This movie works according to the same scheme.


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