The critics need to take another look

Rating: 7/10 (4 January 2003)

*minor spoilers*
"Alien 3" has proven to be the most hotly debated entry in the legendary science fiction series. When it was first released, the response from both critics and the public was hostile--the film killed off the remaining survivors from the previous film ("Aliens"), leaving Ripley, the series' female protagonist, on her own again. After its action-packed predecessor, viewers were also disappointed to find that this new film went back to the basics; instead of an action movie it was a gothic, existentialist drama. To boot, it was a dark, gloomy film where absolutely nothing went right for any of the characters. It's somber and sober throughout, with barely a ray of hope to be seen. Creatively, the film had a troubled production history, with various writers and directors being attached to the project, but quitting. Finally, music video director David Fincher (known for his work with Madonna) was hired, but his efforts were hampered by studio interference; the frequent rewrites and subsequent postproduction edits made for an uneven film. Yet, looking back on it after a good decade, I find that most people were much too hard on it. It has numerous flaws, but its dramatic and artistic qualities still deserve to be acknowledged.
As Ripley, Sigourney Weaver has proven to be the true backbone of the Alien trilogy. Here, she accepts her fate and even looks forward to her inevitable end. Her eventual demise is absolutely logical in the context of the series; cloning her in the next film was nothing more than an act of shameless commercialism in a movie that will never have the durability of its predecessors. Here, she allows her character to express the emotional toll the aliens have inflicted on her for what seems like an eternity. She loses everyone she has ever cared about, and her grief is so genuine it scarcely feels like acting. She shines in one powerful, brutal scene where Newt (see the previous film) is dead and autopsied--it is so painful some viewers will wish to turn away.
While many of the supporting characters are not very well-defined, there are still some standouts. As the leader of the prisoners, Charles S. Dutton is the most complex supporting character, one who has discovered his faith and become a new person, even after the terrible crimes he's committed in the past. I liked Charles Dance as the out-of-luck doctor who befriends Ripley, though is character is killed off a bit too early--their chemistry could have helped the film a bit more. Brian Glover does well as the bitter warden who refuses to believe what is happening around him, until he discovers the truth all too late. Ralph Brown is sympathetic as the slow-headed but well-meaning administrative assistant, one of the few characters who don't immediately emote hostility towards Ripley. There is not a single bad performance, despite the characterization problems.
I admit I have been inconsistent in my own views of "Alien 3." The first time I watched it, I felt let down, but upon subsequent viewings, its merits have become more clear to me. Visually, the film is nothing less than stunning at times. Set on a nearly abandoned prison colony, the film creates an atmosphere of despair and decay. The dominant color scheme consists of rust browns and oranges. The cinematography is stylish; the most immediately apparent visual trick is the alien POV shots. There is a brilliantly directed funeral scene, intercut with the newly gestated alien. The effect is simultaneously melancholy, disturbing and moving. David Fincher's direction helps sustain the film despite its formulaic structure, creating memorable images and shot compositions. The set designers have spared no expense at making the film look as authentic as possible; so convincing is their work that one finds it difficult to believe that it was filmed right here on earth. In fact, this may point out one of the biggest problems people had with the film: it could never truly qualify as escapism. This is not a film to be watched casually--it is genuinely depressing at times, enough to generate a pang of sorrow in the heart. As a science fiction film, this is as close to realistic plausibility as the genre ever comes. Like Ridley Scott's original, "Alien 3" takes place in the actual universe we inhabit. In the coming years, it will hopefully earn the respect it deserves, despite its flaws.
*** (out of ****)
Released by Twentieth Century Fox