The summer movie season can be summed up beautifully with “The Chronicles of Riddick” — it’s filled to the brim with noise and action. And in representing many movies this summer, the storyline is almost secondary to the action and visual effects. Unlike the overtly self-important “Matrix” films or the simple-mindedness of the “Star Wars” franchise, this one finds a happy medium between the two. However, “The Chronicles of Riddick” still has something for both genders and genre fans.

Vin Diesel stars as the film’s title character, Riddick, and also headlined the prequel, “Pitch Black.” The film reassures the moviegoing public that Vin Diesel was bred for this role as chief bad-ass of the universe. The menacing villain, Lord Marshal, is played with an enthusiastic cold demeanor by Colm Feore, whom some may know from another costumed movie epic — “Titus.” And lastly, this action-adventure film wouldn’t be complete without an eye-candy role played by Thandie Newton, whose most memorable role to date was the damsel in “Mission Impossible 2.”

“The Chronicles of Riddick” takes place on two planets — New Mecca and a prison planet, which are polar opposites of each other. New Mecca is beautifully realized in a short span. It is a place of peace and tolerance. At first, Riddick is pulled from one place to another through circumstance and then again for a rescue mission. The villains here are called Necromongers.

Lord Marshal’s only desire is to unite the scattered people of the universe and traverse the stars with them under his theological rule in search of a place called the Underverse.

The action sequences in this movie were toned down to PG-13 from an R rating to accommodate more viewers, and it’s far less of an issue than one would think considering this is an action film for summer with a fairly heavy price tag. The walls will still reverberate with every punch, and rocket ship exhaust will still be roaring across the screen.

Those expecting the other-worldly violence promised by “Pitch Black” will be somewhat satisfied and those who care for a bit of story will be comfortably sated by what the movie brings out. David Twohy, director of “Riddick” and its prequel, brings about the same sensibilities he did with the first, but switches genres with the same character. Where “Pitch Black” was a horror movie, this one is diehard science fiction. Saving this film from fading into obscurity is the fact that it presents some new ideas.

The film is envisioned to be the first in a trilogy, and the ending certainly leaves space for more films. It opens up vast possibilities and after a bit of thought, ends with a surprise in knowing there will be two more films (given that this film makes a profit).

It isn’t the greatest film ever made. What can be agreed is that this film is far from bad.