Re-born on DVD as a classic sequel

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2004)

The original theatrical cut of this film, as many have already stated, was a disappointment to fans of the original two films. However, 'Alien 3' is not a forgotten film due to it's re-release on the DVD format in which it emerges as a classic film from an on form David Fincher.
If 'ALien' was birth, 'Aliens' was Life, then 'Alien 3' is all about death. THe tone of the picture is all melancholy and gritty. The characters are a bunch of paedophs, murderers and possibly cat rapists if they put them in prison, I dunno. In this sense we don't really care what happens to them and are extra stressed about the whole thing because Ripley has to worry about unwanted 'bloodsports' as well as the Alien creature.
The casting is perfect though, with a great ensemble of thesps to keep the feeling of genuinely and respectability going.
The new DVD edition is a longer film and adds some more dimensions to the alien lifecycle, offers a much more tragic element to the part of the story involving trying to capture the creature, and adds some more iconic visuals with a new opening sequence. THe intended epic nature of the film is only visible in this cut and should be the only one viewed really.
Very frightening with no 'action for actions sake'. Remember one thing - this is not a film trying to top CAmeron's effort or replicate Scott's - it is a decidedly down beat Fincher version of the world created in the first tow films.
6/10 Theatrical 8/10 DVD re-release with re inserted scenes