An interesting, but ultimately disappointing, third Alien movie.

Rating: 6/10 (17 May 2007)

***This review is of the original theatrical cut of Alien 3***
James Cameron's slam-bang all-action blockbuster Aliens was always going to be a hard act to follow. Relative newcomer to the director's chair, David Fincher, bravely stepped up to the plate, delivering a dark, moody and rather Gothic third chapter which featured a single creature and a cast comprising mainly of British thesps. Audiences everywhere, expecting an adrenaline rush similar to the second movie, were sorely disappointed and Fincher got a smack-down.
I have mixed feelings about the film: whilst it is true that the film certainly has its problems (in particular, poor pacing and a lack of effective action), it is still an interesting effort, with some fine performances, beautiful art direction and a well developed nihilistic atmosphere.
The opening credits sequence sees the cryogenic pod aboard the Sulaco, containing Hicks, Newt and Ripley (and the remains of Bishop), ejected into space after a face-hugger runs rampant and causes a fire.
The pod crash-lands on a planet inhabited by dangerous criminals and, in a plot development that I find rather inexcusable, both Hicks and Newt bite the big one (kinda makes Ripley's actions in Aliens seem rather pointless, don't you think?). Ripley (and the unseen face-hugger) is transported to a nearby colony where the inmates have formed a kind of religious order; these sex starved nutters are dismayed to see a woman enter their domain, viewing her as a threat to their vows of celibacy.
But after the sneaky face-hugger finds an unfortunate mutt in which to shove its ovipositor, and a hungry alien eventually emerges, the prisoners become rather thankful for the ever-resourceful Ripley's presence.
Fincher's confident handling of characterisation and careful development of a pervading sense of doom is certainly admirable, as is his eye for a well framed shot, but it is in his handling of the later action scenes, in which survivors attempt to lure the alien into a trap, that he becomes rather unstuck. Overusing his novelty 'Alien-cam' POV shots, the novice director delivers endless tedious shots of people running down corridors whilst screaming. Difficult to follow, due to the dizzying camera-work and muddled editing, these confusing sequences lack tension and excitement. It's a misguided attempt to tackle chase scenes in a new way, that just doesn't work.
A downbeat finale, in which Ripley dies, also receives a mixed reaction from this viewer: part of me sees her high dive into a furnace as dramatic and poignant, representing the ultimate sacrifice (with Weaver adopting a Jesus Christ pose as she dies); the other part of me sees her demise as totally unnecessary and a very disappointing way to finish off a really great character.
Supposedly, the longer 'Director's Cut' of Alien 3 is an improvement on the theatrical cut, and it seems to have its fans, but I imagine I would still deem it to be something of a letdown in comparison to Alien and Aliens.
5.5, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.