I'm going to discuss movie endings here, people. Beware!

There are many homages in this movie to the various flavors of advanced-evolution, dark-future-of-humanity science fiction. I leave it to the audience to decide if these are an improved amalgam of a futurist vision, or a rip-off of many others' ideas with the assumption that the majority of the audience will not recognize or care. Whichever your opinion, it was quite stylish. Pretty.

I will cite my favorite example, and the most obvious "borrowed" storytelling element in this movie, the climactic end knife-fight scene. In it, Riddick engages in mortal hand-to-hand combat against his arch enemy, the Lord Marshal, while members of both combatants' entourage look onward in a circle in a royal chamber. Some impressive combat ensues, and after all is over, Riddick dispatches his enemy with a gruesome knife wound through the top of the head, thereby becoming the master of the Necromongers and one of the most powerful people in the known universe.

Sound familiar? It should!

I was immediately reminded of final scene from both David Lynch's 1984 version of the Frank Herbert book Dune, as well as the (imminently superior) 2000 Dune Miniseries by John Harrison. In it, Paul Atredies faces off against his cousin and arch enemy, Feyd Rautha. Some impressive combat (may your blade chip and shatter) ensues, while members of both combatants' entourage look onward in a circle in a royal chamber. After all is over, Muad'Dib dispatches his enemy with a gruesome knife wound through the bottom of the head. This thereby removes his only competition for recognition as the Kwisatz Haderach and becomes the most powerful person in the known universe.

As I said, I did have fun with this movie. But I'd have felt better if I'd seen it at the matinee.