Alien³

Directed by David Fincher, Alien³ follows Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley as she finds herself once again forced to battle the title creature after crash-landing on a hostile prison planet. It’s interesting to discover that Alien³ begins on a decidedly off-putting note, as Fincher, armed with a script by David Giler, Walter Hill, and Larry Ferguson, opens the proceedings with a reveal that effectively undoes the thoroughly satisfying conclusion of its immediate (and vastly superior) predecessor – with the movie, beyond that point, improving substantially as it progresses into a padded-out yet engaging midsection. There’s little doubt, ultimately, that Alien³ benefits substantially from its often eye-popping set design and Weaver’s predictably commanding performance, as, in terms of the latter, the actress offers up spellbinding work that goes a long way towards compensating for the paucity of compelling periphery characters. (Charles S. Dutton delivers a standout, intense turn as a principled prisoner that remains a continuing highlight, to be sure.) By the time the action-heavy third act and almost impressively grim finale roll around, Alien³ has cemented its place as a hit-and-miss endeavor that generally fares better than its less-than-glowing reputation might’ve indicated.

*** out of ****