Alien 3 (1992) Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sex ---------- Out of 4 stars: ***1/2 (3 1/2 Stars)
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Pete Postlethwaite, Lance Henriksen
ALIEN 3 is the only Alien film I have seen in theaters. I saw it when I was 13 years old, and I must admit that I didn't like it. Of course, I was expecting ALIENS again, and I believe this was my fault. In order to appreciate ALIEN 3, you need to see ALIENS, but you also have to wipe away all the expectations from its predecessor. James Cameron's ALIENS was an action film, and many people consider it the best in the series. I am among that group, but ALIEN 3 is an extremely entertaining film, which critics have bashed for its originality. Many thought the final chase scene went on for too long, and many others thought that the film was too much dialogue and not enough action. Both are untrue, because the film has quite a bit of action, and the dialogue was essential and well-written. As for the chase sequence, it was long, but not overly long, creating quite a bit of suspense from confusion.
Perhaps watching ALIEN 3 on video helped. On the big screen, I was overwhelmed by something I normally didn't see. It was a very dark film, and the language was extremely harsh. I had always figured the Alien series to rely on smart dialogue instead of moronic profanities. Don't get me wrong--I'm not saying films should eliminate swearing, but when a film substitutes dialogue with these profane remarks, it gets rather distracting. However, since seeing it again, I realize that the swearing is mainly just an aspect of the restrained hatred in the characters. As a result, ALIEN 3's only flaw (albeit a major one) is the underdeveloped characters. We never really care about any of them, and I get the feeling that many scenes were cut in order to shorten the length of the movie. There were only two characters I liked, and of course one was Lt. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), although we have gotten to know her through two other films. The other character was Dr. Clemens (Charles Dance), but because we like him, the inevitable occurs.
ALIEN 3 begins exactly where ALIENS left off. The prologue of ALIEN 3 is a pure cinematic achievement by director David Fincher, who had only directed music videos before his chance with this Alien entry. Without using a single line of dialogue (unless you count computer warnings), Fincher sets up the entire film. An impressive aspect of this is that Fincher only shows a few seconds of film before cutting to a title card. We see Lt. Ripley and the little girl in their cryogenic compartments... (title)... a shot of an alien egg... (title)... alien legs stretch up into the air... (title)... and so on and so on. During these first ten minutes, I learned everything I had to in order for ALIEN 3 to proceed. It's quite a remarkable opening, and one which will remain in my mind for a long time.
Because of this face-hugger which has been hatched aboard the vessel from ALIENS, the hypersleep containers are sent into an escape pod, and sent down to the nearest planet: Fiorina Fury-161, an ore refinery which has been turned into a maximum security prison. However, the face-hugger managed to attach itself to one of the cryo-tubes, and is sent down with the escape pod. Unfortunately, during the landing, all but one of the survivors from ALIENS is killed. Ripley is discovered by some of the inmates and taken back to the refinery. Of course, you need a carrier for this face-hugger, and it attachs itself to the dog which came with the team of inmates. Ripley is revived and asks to see the ship. After seeing a mysterious acid-eaten section, Ripley asks to see the dead bodies, and then have them cremated. This cremation scene is one of the most powerful and impressive of all the Alien films. Featuring a monologue from Dillon (Charles S. Dutton), a prisoner who has found God, the movie cuts back and forth from the ceremony to the dog's demise. It's one of the most memorable moments, as the speech reflects exactly what is going on with the dog.
And this is where ALIEN 3 succeeds. Fincher normally injects a lot of symbolism into his films, and I can easily see him becoming the next Stanley Kubrick or Alfred Hitchcock (in fact, he is the mixture of both). Fincher knows exactly what to film and how to film it, and I figure that he will be one of the few directors with complete control over his films. ALIEN 3 is riddled with symbolic speeches and metaphorical images. By doing so, Fincher creates some of the best scenes in the entire Alien franchise. Many people have criticized Fincher's filming of the death scene of Ripley (I reveal nothing by saying this) as looking too fake, but I enjoy and relish in the portrayal. Showing Ripley fall in slow motion is a nice touch, but by actually not showing her hit the vat of iron, a great deal of symbolism is derived. I feel that it would have spoiled the mood of the entire film if they had actually shown her splash into the molten iron. However, most people seem to want to witness Ripley die (which creates a paradox, as she is the character I didn't want to see die). Why she is killed is one of the surprises of the film, and I don't plan on spoiling that in this review.
>From every ALIEN film comes several memorable moments which seem to stick with you forever. In Alien, it was, of course, the moment the alien burst out of Kane's stomach. In ALIENS, it was the showdown between alien and Ripley in a machine. ALIEN 3 has several, but most memorable is the terrific shot involving the alien and Ripley. Ripley is pushed up against a wall, and the alien stands inches away from her. Why it doesn't kill her is a shocker, which later leads to a surprise ending. Fincher apparently loves to use close-ups of actors' faces (Michael Douglas and the clown face-off in THE GAME in the same style), and by shaving off the actors' hair, the only thing we have to look at is their faces. Many critics didn't like all the actors being bald, but it makes complete sense when taken in context of the plot. Most of ALIEN 3 works when you take it in context of the story, but when you try to compare it to its predecessors, Fincher's turn seems a bit gloomy and dark, though that's not always a bad thing.
The plot is pretty much a rehash of the first two films, with some major twists. Again, we are setup with several different characters, and one by one, they are picked off. However, while the first two had tons of arsenal (especially Cameron's film), ALIEN 3 takes place on a planet devoid of human life except for this run-down prison. As a result, no weapons are to be found. This creates a lot of tension, although I must admit that Fincher could have added a lot more suspense. As an Alien film, ALIEN 3 is the worst of the series, but by itself, it is an extremely well-made motion picture, with a lot more merits than not. The unfortunate thing surrounding this second sequel is the one-dimensional characters. I never was really emotionally involved on screen because most of the characters are hardcore criminals whom I really could care less about. Despite this, Ripley was the central figure, and that's what is important. We care for her, even though she began to act just like one of the guys.
Again, the technical side of this film is remarkable, and better than the two previous versions. While Cameron's version was a pumped up action film with massive artillary, Fincher uses brilliant camera angles, terrific lighting, and moody sets. The cinematography, by Alex Thomson, is very well done, with a terrific chase sequence towards the end of the movie. The confusion of the ending draws the viewer in, as we are just as confused as the actors who are being chased around. The yellows, reds, and oranges of the lights create a dark mood, and by themselves create a lot of suspense. Shadows dance on the walls, and yet those shadows could easily be the alien. The alien is different from its predecessors this time around, and the swiftness of this alien is quite intense. The camera likes to take up the perspective of the alien, racing after the characters. The sets are quite incredible, which are reminiscient of the Nostromo from ALIEN. The narrow corridors and labrynthine hallways is well constructed. The sets appear to be in the future, but not too far in the future. One of the set pieces even aids in the destruction of the alien (nothing surprising there).
Sigourney Weaver turns out yet another good performance, equaling her portrayal of Ripley in ALIENS. She was snubbed at the Oscars for this one, mainly because the film was a critical bomb. Her reactions are far more realistic in this film, with her crying over the loss of the little child she risked her life saving in her previous encounter. It's quite touching really. Charles S. Dutton is very strong in his performance as one of the inmates, and I was on the brink of actually caring for him. Charles Dance turns in a nice low-key performance, and as a result, I cared for him immediately. Lance Henriksen makes a brief appearance as Bishop II, but he was more entertaining in ALIENS. The rest of the cast is pretty stale, though Pete Postlethwaite sticks out due to his recent turns in THE USUAL SUSPECTS and THE LOST WORLD.
ALIEN 3 is rated R for strong violence and language, and sex. Although it has its flaws, ALIEN 3 is highly entertaining with rich symbolism. This film reminds you how much fun it is to spot metaphorical images throughout a movie. While Kubrick may have a moral message throughout his films, Fincher relies on cinematic devices to bring his meanings out. It's a film like Fincher's which reminds us that it is okay for a film to sacrifice quality for quantity (the final scene). In fact, it tells us that we, as a society, have become too critical of things which may happen to look a little "fake." Whenever something looks fake on screen, we immediately point it out as a mistake. But perhaps it isn't a mistake.
Reviewed by Respect (respect@aros.net) http://www.aros.net/~respect/movies.html
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