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Alien 3

Starring: Sigourney Weaver
Director: David Fincher
Genre: Science Fiction
Year: 1992
Rating: 3 / 5

Alien is one of the scariest thrillers I have ever seen, and Aliens is one of the most entertaining science fiction adventures I have ever beheld. With these two films as its predecessors, it is no wonder that Alien 3 has been deemed a disappointment. This third installment of the series, which at the time was to be the last Alien film, is the first directed by David Fincher, and it is a much better film than most fans are willing to admit. Alien 3 does have its shortcomings, most notably its generally uninteresting supporting cast and its relative lack of action, but it does have Sigourney Weaver, and that in itself is reason to give this film a chance.

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is drifting aimlessly through space, caught in the thralls of a deep hyper-sleep. An electrical emergency forces Ripley's escape pod to jettison, sending it careening towards a virtually uninhabited planet nearby. There, her vessel is discovered by the residents of an abandoned prison facility, the last remnant of civilization on a desolate world. Nursed back to health by a kind doctor (Charles Dance), Ripley comes to realize that, while her crash landing on the planet may have killed her travelling companions, a certain unwanted guest may have survived.

As prison inmates begin dying mysterious deaths, Ripley comes to grips with the fact that she cannot ever escape the grasp of the aliens. With the help of a reborn convict (Charles Dutton), Ripley begins to assess the dangers that surely await this planet's unfortunate residents. Determined not to go down without a fight, Ripley rallies the inmates for one final stand against their unwavering predator. Armed with little more than torches, Ripley devises a scheme to trap the alien, removing it from her life once and for all.

David Fincher (Seven) was a relatively unknown director when Alien 3 was released in 1992, but he does show signs of promise. The film's climactic chase sequences, taking place in the subterranean tunnels of the prison complex, are as visually appealing and nerve-racking as any in the series. On an acting note, Sigourney Weaver is once again up for the challenge, even if few of her co-stars are. Outside of Charles Dutton, none serve to distinguish themselves, least of all Charles Dance as a good-hearted surgeon with a shady past. Absent the brilliant performances by Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Michael Biehn, and Bill Paxton, efforts which helped shape the earlier films, Alien 3 cannot escape the lengthy shadow created by its predecessors. It is merely a good film, not a great one, and will therefore forever be viewed as a disappointment in the eyes of critics everywhere.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R.
Running Time: 110 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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