Alien3 (1992)

Directed by: David Fincher | 114 minutes | action, science fiction, thriller | Actors: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Lance Henriksen, Paul McGann, Brian Glover, Ralph Brown, Daniel Webb, Christopher John Fields, Holt McCallany, Christoper Fairbank, Carl Chase, Leon Herbert, Vincenzo Nicoli, Pete Postlethwaite

The first question one should ask with a sequel – and certainly with a third part – is: why? Of course a studio wants to make a sequel because money can be made from a film series. In order to keep that film series alive, the main criterion is a good story. What’s left to say? How can a new angle be provided? James Cameron had understood that well with ‘Aliens’. Instead of the horror and suspense of the original, it packed with action, one-liners and a new theme, that of motherhood.

The difficulties surrounding the production of ‘Alien³’ are now legendary, from the intense studio interference to debut director David Fincher’s total rejection of the final cut. The main problem with the most maligned and least successful installment of the Alien saga is not that it had to compete with the expectations of its two superior predecessors. The problem is the script. Even before the film actually starts, the other survivors of ‘Aliens’ are killed by the crash of the emergency capsule. This not only undermines the conclusion of the previous part, but is also a false start of this part. In itself, the premise that Ripley is stranded on a planet without weapons with some kind of criminal monks as residents is original. Unfortunately, the character development and plot development is otherwise only poorly developed. Sigourney Weaver puts in a good performance as Ripley, attacked for the third time, and brings new depth to her body role. The supporting roles are uninteresting and interchangeable. Positive outliers are Charles Dance, who as doctor Clemens makes the most of a much too short appearance, and Charles Dutton, who excels as prison leader Dillon, which is more due to his charisma than to the written character.

Visually, within the limitations of the story, there is little to criticize about the film. Fincher shows the desperate atmosphere in all its gloom through shots of long and shady corridors and the dilapidated interior of the former prison. The camera work is dizzying and chaotic, which in itself does not have to be negative, were it not for the fact that the plot is so illogical and full of holes that the viewer runs a good chance of losing track towards the end due to this combination. The inventions and tricks that Fincher uses and the acting of Weaver, Dutton and Dance are sporadic bright spots in this superfluous sequel.

Note: The ‘Alien Quadrilogy’ DVD has a 145 minute work print, so half an hour more material. Director Fincher still refused to cooperate on another version of the film, which is a shame, because this ‘work print’ shows very well that there is a much, much better film in ‘Alien³’ than in the theatrical version has turned out. Not only is much more time taken to develop the characters, but also thematically and in terms of narrative structure, this version is an enrichment and deepening compared to the originally released film. That is why the DVD work print deserves 3.5 stars.