Nice try...

Rating: Null/10 (19 April 2004)

WARNING - MINOR SPOILERS.
There's a lot right with this movie, but there's a lot wrong as well, which makes it a very hard nut to crack. For every good point, there's something not quite right. The plot itself is sound, if a bit 'seen it all before', but why wait 200 hundred years to bring back Ripley? It could have been two weeks, or a month. How long does it take to clone someone in the future? 200 hundred years is too much. 57 was about right for ALIENS. And for two hundred years beyond the events of ALIEN 3, things are pretty much the same technology wise. In fact they may have taken a backward step!!!
My biggest bugbear with Resurrection, as it was with part 3, is that we see far too much of the damn aliens. Did no one notice why the first two were so scary? You never got a good look at the beasty. You filled in the blanks with your imagination which made it more terrifying than any guy in a suit (excellent suit though it was). Now you get long, lingering shots of the alien, dribbling on the floor, swimming gracefully, dodging bullets!!! Not in the least bit scary, which is probably why the newborn failed so miserably. I personally thought the newborn wasn't too bad. Looked like a cross between a human and an alien to me (love the human eyes).

The Special Edition threw in a few mixed moments. The references to Newt were a real bonus and add to Ripley's character no end, but the knowledge that 'the company' was bought out by Wal-Mart is simply laughable. Wal-Mart for God's sake!!! The new opening credits were okay, but needed a hell of a lot more work in the CGI department. What was the badly drawn thing supposed to be? Ditto for the new ending. Nice to allow Ripley to set foot back on Earth, but at least make it look a bit better. Still, nicely ambiguous. Why is Paris (or Blackpool as someone said) in such a state? Did we do it, or have the aliens already landed? It's a nice premise for part 5, but please God, ask Ridley Scott to direct, and bring back the species that crewed the derilect from the first film. That way, it can all tie back into one cycle and the circle will be complete - no more mediocre Alien films, and perhaps Sigourney Weaver can turn her talents to something else. Maybe it's not too late to avoid total typecasting.
All in all, an okay film, with some good moments and nice music, average acting and OTT gore. Should have been better. *** out of *****