When we first catch sight of Vin Diesel he's not looking his best. He's sporting matted dreads, wearing old rags and he still has a bounty on his head five years after he was pursued for a premium in Pitch Black. There's no excuse for sloppy costume design because the director David Twohy has loads more money than he did in the first film.

But perhaps he can be forgiven because Dame Judi Dench is starring in the sequel as a floaty, sequin dressed goddess from the planet Elemental. Her dulcet tones will surely have a calming effect on the proceedings. She's orchestrated Vin's capture because he's the only person who can save the galaxy from a group of fanatics called Necromongers. Adopting an intergalactic fatwa, they convert or kill anyone who doesn't agree with them. Vin doesn't really care about any of that - he's more bothered about saving his own ass.

And what a lovely ass it is. Underneath the grunge Vin is looking mighty fine. Although his silver contact lenses don't do him any favours, muscles and growl are intact. He's clad in sexy black and our reluctant hero has no choice but to fight the baddies.

The Necros are a disagreeable bunch. They look like American superbowlers in steel football kits and hob-nailed boots. Their leader is called Lord Marshal (Colm Feore) and he can astral project himself, which is pretty cool. His second in command is Vaako (Karl Urban) who's vying for his boss's job. Despite his mullet he's still extremely good-looking.

His wife Dame Vaako (Thandie Newton) is gorgeous too in her gold snakeskin dress. She burns kohl onto her eyes just like Michael Jackson - a bit overboard in the vanity department in my opinion, but they still make a lovely couple. She spends most of the time whispering sweet nasties into her husband's ear and encouraging him to usurp Lord Marshal.

Vin finds himself trapped on a prison planet called Crematoria where he catches up with Jack who he abandoned in Pitch Black. Jack is now called Kyra (Alexa Davalos) and grown her shaven head into long, lustrous locks. She's pretty annoyed at Vin because he left her for dead in the last film, but he makes it up to her by saving her from sunstroke. They don't call it Crematoria for nothing. When the sun rises the temperature reaches 700 degrees, but that doesn't deter Vin. He douses himself in Evian, swings through the heat and saves the damsel in distress.

Confronted with an army of Necros Vin and Kyra decide to play 'Who's the better killer?' like they used to in the old days. If I was a betting woman I'd plump for Vin because he's knocked off at least 50 people in the last 45 minutes against the wildest odds. Nevertheless, the Necros capture Kyra and whisk her back to their spaceship. Maybe she'll have a catfight with Dame Vaako. Or perhaps the girls will bond and Dame Vaako can show Kyra her trick with eyeliner.

But everybody's too busy fighting to discuss make-up tips. The actors whoosh around each other a bit like Agent Smith and Keanu did in The Matrix and the action scenes are quite entertaining. But not as good as the set designs, which must be what the director, spent all his millions on. He definitely didn't spend it on the story because The Chronicles of Riddick is stuff and nonsense. But then again there's nothing wrong with a bit of stuffing where Vin's concerned.

The Chronicles of Riddick is released in the UK on 27 August 2004