Yep, bald in this one.
Alien 3 has been (I think) unjustly panned over the years. Sure when compared to the All Time Classic that is James Cameron’s Aliens it – and practically all sci-fi flicks – pale by comparison. Also when compared to the original groundbreaking sci-fi horror that was Ridley Scott’s Alien, Alien the third comes across as neither original or too groundbreaking…
In truth newbie director (at the time) David Fincher’s Alien 3 is a far more faithful sequel to the original film than Aliens was, which was essentially an especially brilliant space creature shoot ‘em up when you think about it. Alien 3 shares many similar elements with the original, many hapless outmatched victims in a confined space being hunted down by a single-minded killing machine, and despite the undeniable similarities with the first film I think Fincher brings enough new elements and flourishes to the table to make Alien 3 worthwhile, and in snippets compelling viewing – even though when you think about it all the Alien films are basically space monster films.
Taking place immediately, only decades after the events of Aliens – but decades in hypersleep – the escape pod harbouring Lt Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Newt, Hicks and Bishop crash-land on Fury 161, a remote prison planet with a staff/inmate population of about 25ish. After all the shit they went through in Aliens only Ripley survives, which if you think about it means she would have been infinitely better off declining that mission in the first place as she wisely did initially.
Ripley comes to to find that as well as being the only survivor of the last mission, she is now surrounded by various rapists, murderers and plain old nasty types. The fact that the planet is also infested with lice and that all inhabitants must routinely shave their heads bald just seems unfair.
The early stages find Ripley coming to terms with her situation and taking steps to discover is there were *other* stowaways on board the escape pod, including a graphic-without-being-graphic autopsy of young deceased Newt, carried out by Fury 161’s Doc Clemens (Charles Dance), who Ripley swiftly decides to be one of the only sane and non-dangerous members of her new community, leading to the first scene involving nudie hijinks in an Alien film, even though there are no onscreen shenanigans.
The remainder of the inmates have not so much as seen a fully functional woman in decades, and some harbour nefarious thoughts toward her – even when Weaver is mannish to begin with and bald to boot! Sensing this the Head of the facility Andrews immediately requests an evac of Ripley off the planet, and is astonished to find that his request is not only acknowledged but fast tracked.
So with the impending pick up looming all that is left is for Ripley to stay put and keep out of the way of those that might do her harm.
But that’s before the inmates start to go missing.
In desperation Ripley consults the remaining half of Bishop who was unceremoniously dumped on a scrap heap, using him to hack into the escape pod’s onboard black box to ascertain if they were truly alone. Now if you don’t think the fact that the film is called ‘Alien 3’ is a clue to the answer then stop reading this and go and bang your head against the wall for a couple hours.
(Side Note: There are two versions of this film. The cinematic release had the Alien baby born of a dog, the Director’s version released years later on DVD from a cow – why the colony would have a cow was never addressed. I have seen both and really don’t see a huge difference in the two versions, definitely not such a difference that apparently Fincher wanted his name removed from the credits at one time he was so pissed at the perceived studio interference.)
Back to the action; in any case the new lone Alien grows and develops quickly. Very quickly. It soon learns that it is there for one reason only, that being to chew through each and every inhabitant on the prison planet. Hey you gotta stick with what you know I guess.
Once Ripley realizes that they are not alone she starts delivering warnings left and right. As is always the case with these films the warnings are taken as they usually are… until the Alien starts a’chomping.
“Might I offer you a mint?”
The rest of the film has Ripley and the various riff-raff of staff and inmates standing around wondering who is to be picked off next and saying “FUCK” a lot. In fact that word is uttered so frequently and so forcefully in this film that I can’t help but wonder if the crew had a competition to see who could deliver the line with the most conviction – and spittle.
Alien 3 is not particularly gory or violent, with a couple of notable exceptions in the latter stages of the film, but even in the early going David Fincher knew that a trickle of blood can go a long way and provoke as many squirms as any graphic onscreen violence. There are a great many speeches in this film, with various characters getting their shot at standing up and delivering impassioned demands with impressive musical accompaniment – often just before they are chomped on. Ripley is a little less ‘hands on’ in this film, what with only one Alien to face, and a special little secret of her own to deal with.
I was impressed with the dinginess and depressing elements of Alien 3, there was none of the flashiness, snappy dialogue or hooky elements of Aliens – which by no means results in this film being better, just different – I liked the adherence to tone and the willingness of the actors to get down and dirty, and again the acting is quite solid for a space monster movie.
This might be the worst of the first three Alien movies (but it slaughters Alien: Resurrection), but it is not the lame duck that the critics and punters have made it out to be over the years.
Final Rating – 8 / 10. A return to the thematic and plot elements of the first Alien means a change of tempo and style, but when considered on its own merits Alien 3 is still a fine – albeit familiar – film for fans of the series.
