Worthy of a second viewing, but make it the Directors cut!

Rating: 6/10 (15 August 2011)

Alien 3 is a much better film than many seem to think IMO.
It seems that a mainly US audience didn't like it initially but the European audience apparently did. I can't figure out why that should be, but if it's just that the US saw only the theatrical release which was re-edited by the studio before release and not the original Assembly (or Directors) cut version which shows us what Fincher's and Weaver's vision actually were, maybe that's more understandable. It can't hold a candle to the first two movies but overall it's not bad at all. Moody, atmospheric and with fantastic settings and camera-work. I liked the story and the sub plots, most of which were lost or watered down in the theatrical release including Golic releasing the creature from captivity (an entire section which bizarrely disappears in the theatrical release) and the subtle clean ending of the extended version where the Queen does not emerge from the suicidal Ripley at the last moment. Alien 3 in retrospect works well in the series and if you take the version the Director intended you to see and watch it again you may see it in a different light.