Today’s quick review: Alien 3. When her ship crash-lands on a remote prison planet, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is taken in by the inhabitants of the prison, some two dozen men who have turned to religion to atone for their crimes. Suspecting that a Xenomorph hidden aboard her ship was the cause of the crash, Ripley searches for evidence to confirm her theory, convince the prisoners the threat is real, and kill the alien before it is too late.
Alien 3 is a science fiction action movie and the third movie in the Alien series. Alien 3 replicates the Alien formula in a new setting: an ore refinery and prison complex populated by an unstable group of reformed criminals. Mediocre direction, uninspired writing, and a host of minor changes to the tone of the universe make the movie a clear step down from Alien and Aliens. The result is passable sci-fi that doesn’t live up to its pedigree.
Alien 3 makes minor additions to the canon that are accompanied by subtle but significant missteps. Ripley retains her resourcefulness but little of her resolve, taking on a more passive role in the plot and showing weakness that wasn’t present before. Weyland-Yutani, the sprawling corporation tied to the events of the first two films, makes a return appearance, but its involvement lacks the subtlety or mystery it had before.
Alien 3’s shortcomings extend to its plot and action as well. The lack of weapons in the prison colony should make for a desperate struggle, a horror thriller in the vein of Alien. Instead the movie plays out closer to Aliens, a straightforward action movie with few real scares, low firepower, and no real flair. The problem is compounded by an alien that comes, goes, and kills arbitrarily, with no sense of continuity or menace.
Still, taken on its own, Alien 3 makes for a serviceable sci-fi action flick. Ripley’s attempts to cope with the events of the previous films, the backstories of the prisoners, and their attempts to fight back against the Xenomorph all make for decent sci-fi fodder. There is nothing outstanding about the film, but those that like the formula it’s working with and don’t mind its middling execution quality will get some enjoyment out of it.
Those hoping for a worthy successor to Alien and Aliens will want to steer clear. Alien 3 has almost none of what made the previous films successful; at best it comes across as a poor copy. Even so, the movie holds some value for sci-fi fans who aren’t too critical of their action and are willing to take the film on its own terms. Those looking for a popcorn watch may want to try it. Those looking for something special should give it a miss.
For a better take on the same premise, try Alien or Aliens. For sci-fi action in a similar vein, try Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, or Riddick.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for decent sci-fi action without the quality or originality of the prior films.