(maybe) not quite as bad as I first though

Rating: 6/10 (6 October 2008)

OK, let me just start off by saying that, when I first saw Alien 3 on video, I was kind of left thinking "what the **** is this garbage?" and like so many of you viewers out there, i too was gob-smacked at the (rather brazen) decision to do away with the other two main characters from "Aliens" (Newt and Hicks) during the opening. Not only does it make the first two films seem pointless, but it also opens up a potential plot hole (e.g, how an alien egg managed to stow away aboard the Sulaco-even I have trouble swallowing this particular plot device) Even now, I still can't get over that. My initial impression of A3 was that of a cheap rehash of the original 1979 classic by director, Ridley Scott.
However, (in my case) time has been a little kinder to this film. Since my first viewing, I have found out a little information about the kind of "look" David Fincher had set out to create for A3, which was a dirty, squalid, low-tech look. Then, there's the well-documented stories of the director being stifled by constant studio interference, which in a way, altered my view of this film.
One of the interesting aspects of A3 is, obviously, the production design. A lot of the sets had a rather unusually "step back in time" aura about them. I did notice a few Gothic, Victorian, Edwardian Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influences here and there-quite a mixed bag of architectural styles, you could say! (Truth be told, the whole "retrogade" look of Alien was originally a major turn-off for me.
Petty as it might seem, but one of my pet gripes about Alien 3 were the design inconsistencies between the hyper sleep chambers shown in the opening, and those used in the previous film, "Aliens"
Overall, the visual style did remind me a little of some of Terry Gilliam's more outlandish films-only played with a straighter face.
Another interesting factor that caught my attention was the way the film plays on the simmering tensions between some of the characters (in particular, the prisoner Morse(played by Harry Webb) and the screw, Aaron, a.k.a "85",so-called because of the character's IQ) Brian Glover puts in an admirably high-handed performance as the prison superintendent, Andrews. Personally, I felt Charles Dance's role was somewhat underused. Charles S. Dutton also has one of the other juicier roles as Dillon, fellow convict-cum-spiritual leader.
Another level where Alien 3 doesn't disappoint is the short, sharp shocks of bloody violence and gory death-perhaps, it might be said, the goriest the Alien franchise has seen so far.
Last, but not least, what can also be seen here is the blossoming of Fincher's cinematic style-the use of dark, dingy environs and a palate of dull, grubby colours, which goes to prove my point that A3 is not totally without merit.
All in all, I feel that Alien 3, though not entirely atrocious, could have been improved considerably. There are plenty of things I would have done differently if I had directed instead of David Fincher. However, as I had previously hinted to before, it would be rather unfair to condemn Fincher for how this turned out. We can thank the studio bosses for a lot of that.
I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing the "assembly cut" but hopefully, it will do more to Improve my appraisal of this interesting, if rather flawed entry to the "Alien" series.