You Bitch! (Alien 3 (DVD))

Member Name: TJ-Mackey

Product:	Alien 3 (DVD)
Date:	19/11/00 (148 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's an Alien film!

Disadvantages: Not as good as its predecessors.

"The Bitch is back!" was the slogan for this, the third in the 'Alien' saga, although I’m not sure whether this is referring to the alien or to Lt. Ripley! Nevertheless, both are back for the second sequel to the highly successful sci-fi chiller 'Alien'. Following on almost immediately from the end of the last film, we join Ripley and the other survivors from LV-426 in their emergency evacuation capsule as it descends towards a small industrial planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy.

Wisely deciding to revisit the claustrophobic atmosphere of the original movie, 'Alien 3' returns to the theme of just a single alien let loose on a small community of civilians. This time around, the setting is a former prison colony, where an all-male group of convicts help to run a small leadworks for the ubiquitous 'Company'. These are the scum of the universe, with the only order being found in a harsh superintendent and the prisoners’ religious outlook on life.

Considering the number of bad reviews 'Alien 3' received upon its release, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it’s actually a pretty good movie. I can only assume the critics were trying to compare it to the first two films (which is unfair to say the least), instead of judging it on its own merits. This was actually the first feature film that David Fincher had directed, and he certainly had a huge task in front of him, trying to follow in the footsteps of 'Alien' and 'Aliens', two of the best sci-fi/horror movies ever made. In my opinion, he has produced an admirable contribution to the series, and has also added his own personal touch to the film that makes it stand out from the rest.

The alien creature in this film is noticeably different from both the lone beast in the original and the drone warriors in the sequel. Some of the most exhilarating scenes from 'Alien 3' are where we follow a fl
eeing prisoner from the alien’s perspective as it runs up walls and even along the ceiling in pursuit of its prey. Another touch that Fincher wanted to add to the story was to give all of the characters skinheads, the explanation for which is a species of hair lice common to the planet. This certainly does add to the overall feel of the film, and also gives the audience a chance to see a bald Sigourney Weaver!

The rest of the cast are predominantly English actors, including Brian Glover, Charles Dance, Paul McGann, and even Clive Mantle (yes, him from Casualty!). All give impressive performances, especially Glover as the obnoxious Superintendent Andrews, who is in charge of the installation. As always though, the film belongs to Weaver, once again stepping into the breach as Lt. Ripley, who must wonder if she’ll ever get away from these damned aliens!

There is an exquisite twist halfway through the film that will probably answer this question, and will certainly explain a lot of what happens earlier on. Don’t blink during the intriguing opening credits though, or you might miss something vitally important to the story. Also, pay attention to the outstanding musical score that accompanies the film – it really does conjure up the mood of the story perfectly.

I suppose the biggest question people will want to ask is whether this film shapes up to the earlier movies. In all honesty, it isn’t as good as either of them. Despite this, I would still encourage fans of the genre to watch 'Alien 3', and fans of the series should definitely try and watch it at least once. Additionally, anyone who liked David Fincher’s later movies ('Seven', 'The Game' and 'Fight Club') should really make an effort to see this, his debut feature film. His characteristically dark scenes are abundant here, and I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

The DVD release of the movie, which I recently b
ought, is pretty impressive. Although lacking an audio commentary from Fincher (which I think would have been very revealing), the disc does contain a 20-minute 'behind-the-scenes' feature that makes for interesting viewing. The audio and picture transfer for the actual film is excellent, although you might have to turn the brightness up a bit for some of the darker scenes. All in all though, this DVD is well worth buying, even if you’ve never seen the film before.

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