The perfect ending to a trilogy which should not have been resurrected.

Rating: Null/10 (26 August 1999)

I honestly believe that with a few script edits this could have been the best film of all time. As it is, it's only absolutely brilliant.
First, it has absolutely THE BEST title sequence ever committed to film: the credits interspersed with short, grim snatches of Ripley's "rape", if you like, by the Alien and the ejection of the escape pod from the Sulaco.
Second, the killing of Hicks, Newt and Bishop is both necessary, and a stroke of genius. They aren't meant to develop relationships with Ripley. She's meant to develop a relationship with them and then lose them. That's the point. The Alien causes death and destruction, it's not meant to be responsible for a long happy ever lasting friendship. The only relationship that really matters is that between Ripley and the Alien. To kill them off so quickly though, is brilliant, even though casting problems are as responsible as anything. But it sets the tone of virtual hopelessness and despair for the rest of the film.
Third, in Alien 3, acting performances matter. Alien was all about suspense, the performances were secondary to this, even if there isn't a bad performance in the whole film. Aliens was all about action, blood n guts machismo - acting ability was totally irrelevant. If you could look hard, fire a gun and occasionally get a bit worried, you were in. Alien 3 is about hopelessness and despair. It needs good convincing performances so that you care about the characters. Thus, when they die, everything seems even more pointless and without hope. But the acting isn't just convincing, it's damn amazing. Weaver is excellent as a more experienced, resigned to death Ripley, Charles Dance brilliantly sombre as Medical Officer Clemens and Ralph Brown puts in his best performance ever as 85 (Forget Withnail and I - it's the most overrated film ever anyway). But Charles S Dutton is absolutely outstanding. Dillon is very slightly reminiscent of Parker from the original, but Dutton stamps all over Yaphet Kotto in big prison boots. The man deserves an Oscar.
Fourth, the funeral/Alien erupting scene with its brilliant script is the best scene I've ever seen in any film, including the Danny Boy scene in Miller's Crossing.
Fifth, the Alien's death is by far the most original of the four films, although I do have a soft spot for that in Aliens.
Sixth, Alien 3 is an absolutely beautiful film visually. I can't fault the photography, special effects and whatever else is involved at all.
Lastly, just as the credits are the best beginning to a film ever, Ripley's death is an immense emotional ending to the trilogy, that puts every single act into perspective and fits the tone of the film perfectly. The Alien should never have been resurrected for a fourth installment because this was the perfect ending.
I can only see two, maybe three, problems with Alien 3. One, there's a couple of really duff lines in there which just don't fit. Two, the toxic waste fire scene is over too quickly, and the deaths are just passed over. One often used criticism of the film is that it is too slow, but not enough is made of this. I know it's in the middle of the film where you want to be speeding up, but it doesn't feel right. Third, Brian Glover's voice. I find it grates. "This is rumour control..." - yuk.
Of course, there's enough great things about Alien 3, that it still gets maximum marks. But if asked to pick a favourite, I'd probably go for Alien viewed in a pitch black room. It's not as well acted, but there are no flaws, the suspense is brillliant and when the lights flash on screen, they flash in your room as well. It's the nearest you'll get to feeling part of a film.