An under appreciated masterpiece.

Rating: 9/10 (28 November 2004)

Though on the surface grim and depressing, "Alien 3" is without doubt excellently crafted and highly entertaining - especially considering the studio misrepresented Fincher's original vision by heavily editing the film. Due to the unsurpassed level of action in the previous film, the more subdued nature of "Alien 3" is only a natural progression in the overall story. Ellen Ripley has been at war with the alien for so long that it has come to define her entire existence; what could possibly be more bleak than that? Sigourney Weaver takes her characterization of Ripley to an entirely new dimension - capturing the emotional despair of a woman who has knowingly lost her soul. Also there is significant religious undertones to the film, dealing most notably with the themes of redemption and damnation. David Fincher, in his directorial debut, demonstrates his talent for creating startling imagery; something that audiences have now come to expect from the director. The colour palette of the film is simply beautiful, with deep brown hues on prominent display. The special effects, though some appear surprisingly dated (early CGI), still look cool. Highly recommended for lovers of the genre, a 9/10.