All the special effects in the world cannot hide a poor script...

Rating: 2/10 (11 October 2000)

...and Alien 3 has just that: a poor script. Gibson's version of the Alien 3 script, parts of which were incorporated into Alien Resurrection, is by far superior to this literary accident. One glaring factual error mars the script before the Alien even gets any screen time: cholera is not a virus, it is a bacterium. A reference to bubonic plague or ebola would have been far more appropriate, given that we're talking about a dead body in that scene.
However, the fundamental problem in Alien 3 is the humans. In the previous two installments of the series, you could have almost called the films "Human" and "Humans" respectively, because the alien was often incidental to the way the human characters related to one another. The alien seemed to exist only to highlight the dangers of curiosity without caution or cooperation at times. Add to this the fact that both the films feature the best simulations of alien creatures outside of the digital era, and you can soon see where Alien 3 falls down.
A special effects company who won't be mentioned here rallied hard for the contract to do the CGI effects for the alien in some shots. Funny that, because when one rallies to be awarded a job, one normally tries to do a good one. The alien in this film was so poorly simulated during CGI shots that it is quite clear which shots are the man in the suit, and which ones aren't. But by far the worst aspect of the film is the manner in which the human characters are conspicuously reduced at one point. It highlights the fact that the characters are not fleshed out enough for anyone to care.
Another problem that becomes apparent when watching making-ofs is that the film was rushed into production without even a script to work from. The manner in which cast and crew members defend director David Fincher, highlighting the fact that he had to start shooting without a script, really suggests where the blame should be laid. Of the crew, only Alex Thomson is willing to openly blame the studio, but the fact that he is long since retired makes it clear that Fox particularly has a big problem with the dismal failure of this rush job.
I gave Alien 3 a two out of ten. The first thought that came to mind when I saw the third Alien film at the theatre was one of disappointment. The last thought was that at least they couldn't screw the series up any worse. Alien Resurrection didn't prove me wrong as far as entertainment value was concerned. This movie sucks like a Godfrey's showroom.