The Chronicles of Riddick

The Chronicles of Riddick is a 2004 American science fiction film sequel to Pitch Black directed by David Twohy and starring Vin Diesel and Judi Dench, with Thandie Newton, Karl Urban and Colm Feore.

Problems with Crematoria

There are two rather glaring problems with the portrayal of the hellish planet Crematoria. One is a problem of consistency. It has been stated previously in the film that on Crematoria, the temperature falls to hundreds of degrees below zero (presumably in Fahrenheit) where there is no sunlight. Yet during the prisoners' escape led by Riddick, they run through innumerable shaded areas wearing only flimsy shirts and pants. Another problem, also concerning temperature, is a scientific one. It is well-known that on some planets, surface temperature can vary drastically depending on the availability of sunlight (such as the planet Mercury). But this is possible only because such planets do not have a thick layer of atmosphere. Such atmosphere (like Earth's atmosphere) takes a long time for the sunlight to heat it up or cool it down, thereby reducing the extremes in temperature on the surface of the planet. The extreme temperature difference on Crematoria indicates that it has no such atmosphere (like Mercury), yet Riddick and other prisoners are able to run for nearly 30 kilometers at top speed with no rebreathers!

Related Topics:
Fahrenheit - Mercury - Earth's atmosphere - Rebreathers

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