Well done, David Fincher; well done.

Rating: 9/10 (7 June 1999)

Having just purchased the Alien Legacy on DVD this past week, I have had the chance to revisit all the Alien movies and appreciate the different approaches that each director takes. I have to say that Alien 3 went down better then when I had originally seen it back in 1992. David Fincher has such a great eye for detail in every shot that is filmed. The only thing that I had a problem with is the tension that he tried to build but just wasn't working. The last scene in which the alien is chasing the prisoners throughout the corridors was nice to look at, but it came up short on the "scare" scale. If I would have seen the alien itself move at the blazing speeds that the camera was moving at, it would have been more effective.
As for the story, it was meant to displease the audience, and Fincher just seems to be too eager to do so. Casting problems might have prevented the return of the little Carrie Henn(she wouldn't have been so little in Alien 3 anyway) and Michael Biehn. To just kill of Newt in the very beginning of Alien 3, especially if you have seen the director's cut of Aliens, is absolutely heart-wrenching. For those who have not seen the director's cut of Aliens(which is available alone or in the new Alien Legacy box set on VHS and DVD as well as on a special edition laserdisc), it expands the maternal side of Ripley's persona. Definitely worth seeing if you are an Alien fan. Even if you haven't seen the director's cut, it is still a major disappointment to see the poor Newt dead.
With all this being said, Alien 3 works. It just does. David Fincher's tight direction and uncanny visual style save what would have been a horrible Alien experience. Once again, Weaver's performance as Ripley is superb. The rest of the cast gives excellent performances throughout. The story has its disappointing side, but it can be seen as admirable as well. You have to admire the writers for having the audacity to create such a disturbing world that is this prison from hell. I would have liked to see further developments in the Alien's species. James Cameron did it extremely well by introducing the alien queen. Other than that, great creative effort that offers something different, and this time different is good.