A dissapoining end (yes END, there was no 4)

Rating: 4/10 (1 March 2006)

After the horror filled excellence of Alien, and the pulse racing, nail biting brilliance of Aliens, Alien3 is somewhat of a let down.
After the events on LV-426, the shuttle craft carrying Ripley, Newt, Hicks and Bishop crash lands on a prison planet, populated by the galaxies worst criminals (murderers, r@pists etc). Hicks and Newt are killed in the crash and Ripley is taken in by the prison warden, but the Alien menace has followed her, and to end the nightmare, she will have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
This movie isn't terrible, the acting is pretty good for most part, Weaver delivers once again as the heroine of the trilogy, and she is supported by some of Englands finest actors (Charles Dance, Pete Poselthwaite).
Ultimately though, the plot of this movie is where it falls short. The setting is dark and dank, which gives a very depressing feel (this was probably the intention, but it doesn't work for me), and basically, very little happens in this movie. Hicks and Newts deaths are easily spotted as cop outs for the studio failing to re hire the actors rather than plot advancements. Then we have lots of arguing between the prisoners over Ripley, an attempted r@pe, then everyone dies.
Alien3 seems too contrived to be taken as a serious movie, and comes across as a student film that tries to be too deep. It also feels like a remake sequel, copying Scotts original master piece, almost shamelessly at times.
Not the worst movie ever, but a let down, after the first two classic installments