I just finished watching Alien 3 (just to continue with my Alien series marathon) and I have a lot of thoughts about it!
First off, "Alien 3" is definitely a divisive movie in the Alien series. After the intense action and character bonding in "Aliens," fans, including myself, were eagerly anticipating more adventures with Ripley, Newt, and Hicks. But right from the get-go, the film takes a sharp turn by killing off Newt and Hicks, which is a huge disappointment.
The movie has a dark, horror-centric vibe that I actually appreciated. It felt closer to the original "Alien" with its suspense and creepiness. David Fincher directed this one, and considering it was his first film, I think he did a pretty good job. If you’re going to watch it, definitely go for the extended edition – it’s a much better experience. However, the CGI effects were pretty bad, especially when the alien was moving around; it looked really fake and took me out of the moment.
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One thing I really liked was the unique setting. The prison planet Fiorina 161, with its population of violent male inmates, created a tense atmosphere, especially with Ripley being the only woman there. The lack of weapons made the xenomorph even scarier, as they had to get creative to survive.
That said, the movie has its flaws. The beginning felt clumsy with its exposition, the character development was lacking, and overall, the film felt a bit bland. It seemed like it was trying too hard to recapture the horror of the original without really bringing anything new to the table. It’s clear this isn’t the sequel fans were hoping for, and the ending felt like a letdown, especially considering the potential it had if another director like Renny Harlin or Neill Blomkamp had been in charge (our opinion only!)
I would love to believe an interesting theory that the whole movie might be Ripley’s hypersleep nightmare, which explains some of the dream-like elements and plot inconsistencies. It’s an intriguing idea, but it doesn’t really save the movie from its shortcomings.
TSHC Score: 5/10
The film has its moments, and I do appreciate its attempt to return to the franchise’s horror roots, but it falls short in many areas. If you’re a die-hard fan of the series or enjoy dark, atmospheric horror, it might be worth a watch. Just don’t expect it to live up to the legacy of its predecessors. It’s not the sequel we wanted, but it’s the one we got, and we just have to deal with that.
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