Better than rumoured.

Rating: 7/10 (4 July 2001)

*** SOME SPOILERS *** Don´t let the comments index scare you, this third film in the Alien series is vastly underrated. Sure, it´s got its flaws, but so did Ridley Scott´s original. Some films end on a real downer, this one also STARTS with one, with survivors from Aliens (Newt, Hicks and droid Bishop) killed off before the opening titles. Ripley survives, but lands on a grim prison planet, populated by convicted murderers and rapists, and a couple of seedy and semi-stupid guards and doctors. Sigourney Weaver, head shaved, fatigued but strongwilled, is excellent as Ripley, showing us new sides to her complex character. A supporting cast of mostly British actors (Brian Glover, Charles Dance, Ralph Brown and Paul McGann) range from hammy to good, and Charles Dutton is excellent as a reluctantly helpful convict. Lance Henriksen also makes a brief, but welcome return as Bishop and his creator.
The force of the film is the mood and cinematography, supported by Elliott Goldenthal´s powerful score. David Fincher creates great atmosphere, some scares and a memorable ending, even though his original synopsis contained ideas for an actionpacked, BIG ending that could have made this rank proudly along its predecessors. Sadly, his budget got cut repeatedly, the original ending was dropped, thus resulting in the most debated threequel of all time. *** (of ****)