Rating: 
Summary: An unfairly maligned film
Review: "Alien 3" has been attacked since it came out in 1992 for its downbeat mood and bleak plot twists. When I saw it in the theater I wasn't overwhelmed by it, but gave it 3 stars. Since then the film has grown in my estimation.
I think the main reason many, if not most "Alien" fans hate this movie is that they are really "Aliens" fans; that is, fans of the second film, not the series as a whole. They went to the theater in 1992 looking for more of the same stuff they saw in "Aliens": more and bigger guns, even more Aliens, a bigger Alien infestation (Earth for example). They didn't want a new film, just a rerun of the last one. But they were biterly disappointed. Where "Aliens" is an action movie, "Alien 3" is a mood piece. Where "Aliens" had wall to wall blazing action, "Alien 3" was mostly one grim plot development after another, with the humans mostly helpless against the Alien threat. And where "Aliens" ended on an optimistic note, "Alien 3" ended with the death of the main character from the previous movies. Pretty big changes!
I myself was happy to see something new, instead of just a tired rehash. Why should "Alien 3" have just been an "Aliens" clone? Sure, I loved "Aliens" too, but it's not the last word in sci-fi. When judged on its own merits, "Alien 3" is a very good film. Its mood is a return to that of the first film, with basically helpless characters just struggling to survive. The religious spin of the story makes it unique, with the themes of sacrifice and redemption running through the whole movie.
A common complaint is that no one in the movie besides Ripley is sympathetic since they are all convicted violent criminals or stupid, arrogant Company employees. But this complaint doesn't hold up. Many of the convicts end up showing real selflessness in their actions to destroy the Alien, illustrating the film's sacrifice/redemption theme. This is particularly true in the Special Edition of the film on this DVD, where one of the convicts who tried to rape Ripley deliberately sacrifices himself to trap the Alien in the vault. And Aaron, the slow-witted Company man, sees the company's duplicity by the movie's end and tries to help Ripley. This is character development, folks. If you want cartoon characters, see a Superman movie.
I highly recommend this DVD. The interface is superb, the commentary and special features are informative, but best of all, it containd the Special Edition of the film mentioned earlier. This is the 1991 first cut of "Alien 3" and is superior to the theatrical version, in my opinion, with much more character development. It makes a 3 star film into a 4 star one.
As for the complaints about how an Alien egg got on board the Sulaco, the answer is the Alien Queen, of course. Just because she lost her egg sac doesn't mean she couldn't lay eggs at all without it. Not mentioned in either version of the film is that early on in script development, the queen embryo-carrying facehugger is a "super facehugger" that contains both a Queen embryo and a Warrior to guard her; it has the unque ability to impregnate two hosts before dying. The concept was left unexplained in the final filmed version(s), but goes far to clearing up the plot holes.
Watch the film with an open mind and enjoy an unfashionably bleak sci-fi experience.
Rating:
Summary: Only Alien Film With Staying Power
Review: "Alien 3" is an exciting, scary, sci-fi film with fantastic, gothic art direction and, dare-I-say, beautiful photography. As such, it's a great film in its own right, on par with its visionary predecessors, "Alien" and "Aliens." Oddly, "Alien 3" only suffers criticism due to its relationship to those earlier films. Here's how: In "Alien 3," director David Fincher tries to unencumber the saga from the baggage of the first two films, where the story arcs of favorite characters Ripley, Hicks, Bishop, and Newt had already come to complete resolution, with each character saved. By dismissing (read that: killing off) all but Ripley so as to get on with a new story, Fincher, to fans, had negated the victory that was "Aliens." Most of the criticism of "Alien 3" stems from this. Taken on its own, however, "Alien 3" is an entertaining film with impeccable production value, a tight storyline, great performances, plenty of scares, and more replay value that any other film in the franchise.
Rating: 
Summary: Rotten script stinks up series.
Review: "Aliens" was a triumphant sequel, taking on all the odds that suggested that sequels "stink." That is why when "Alien 3" was made, we had to know the end of a good run was coming. While "Alien 3" looks good and maybe has a little bit of the feel of the original, it drowns in a terrible storyline and a worse script. First of all, Hicks and Newt (Who Ripley spent the last half hour in "Aliens" saving are killed off right off the bat, wow, what a downer. Ripley is depressed and so was the guy who continued to write the script about a bunch of lifers who say things that make no sense, for example, when the prisoners and Ripley begin building a trap for the Alien, one prisoner asks Ripley "Why should we help you?" Um...maybe because there is an Alien running around and it will eat you if you don't kill it? We are also put through a boring love affair, a cheesy speech by Charles Dutton and a stupid and overly designed scene where everyone is running around dark tunnels trying to trap the Alien. There's no comic relief like in "Aliens" and no real scares like in "Alien." This is just plain stupid, and worse, the sequel that came next. Don't waste your time with this slop, go see the first two films again, it'll be more entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: Trouble in the brig...
Review: "Aliens", the preceding film in the series, ended with on a high note. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) succeeded in dispatching the deadly Queen Alien to the vacuum of space. And this time she was not the sole survivor. "Newt" a young girl, and "Corporal Hicks", part of the attack force survived as well. Ripley, had also salvaged the torn remains of the android "Bishop" (Lance Henriksen). All resided peacefully in their respective tubes as we faded to the end credits. Alien 3 continues the saga, and quickly sets a somber tone. An alien "face sitter" is loose on the ship, USS Sulaco. Acid from the creature leaks out, causing a fire. The emergency initiates the automatic collection of the sleeping tubes into an escape craft. Released from the Sulaco, the craft falls into the atmosphere of Fury 161, a planet used as a prison facility, and crashes lands into what is presumably a body of water. A rescue party reaches the craft, and upon breaking in, finds that only Ripley has survived. The child Newt, and a bloodied Hicks lie dead in their tubes. Alien 3, doesn't have the suspense of Alien, or the spectacular excitement of Aliens, but it does have a story that doesn't degenerate into pure rubbish. There's even time enough for love. Some things do remain constant. The creature kills, and the Company wants it alive. The maximum-security prison, operates with a minimal staff, with the inmates also running a mining operation. Ripley's presence, sends shockwaves through the all-male population, and the presence of "lice" (where are they?) leads to the shaving of her head. Sporting a reddened eye, she is emotionally crushed after learning that her friends are dead. Medical officer Clemens (Charles Dance) becomes her ally, as she anxiously investigates, searching for evidence of the Alien's presence. Director David Fincher, keeps things dark and dreary. Pacing is a bit slow, as Ripley's arrival is an unwelcome break in the peaceful monotony of prison life. Prison superintendent Andrews (Brian Glover), seeking to maintain the status quo, has no time for Ripley and her "monster" stories. In the matter of maintaining order, religion and faith, are factors too. Prisoner Dillion (Charles Dutton) serves as a spiritual leader and enforcer among the men. These futuristic events have a distinct "British" flavor, as Dance, Glover and many others, speak with accents, and use English slang. The creature begins its rampage, uniting the survivors in a common goal, as they confront the Alien without any weapons, in a broken down facility. Ripley has her own more personal problem, discovering the presence of an alien growing in her body. Computer generated effects are used extensively, resulting a faster moving, and more active Alien. Led by Dillion and Ripley, the prisoners attempt to trap the creature. Luring the Alien through tunnel, after tunnel, after tunnel, until it is trapped and killed. Not very plausible, but still exciting. The Company, conveniently arrives on the scene, with Bishop II (Lance Henriksen) making one last plea for the life of the alien inside of Ripley. Ellen Ripley's death, would seem to have brought the series to an end, but then we all know better. Alien 3 is not a great movie, but it is good solid SF that delivers some thrills, and should not be missed. You see pretty much what you expect, and there are no big surprises, though the CG effects allow a more dynamic presentation of the Alien. Solid performances by stars Weaver and Dutton, and the supporting cast, headed by Daniel Webb (prisoner Morse) and Ralph Brown (Warder Aaron). It is a film that stands up to repeated viewings.
Rating:
Summary: "Don't be afraid! I'm part of the family!"
Review: "What are we doing?"
"improvising!" The above exchange occurs between Sigourney Weaver's "Ripley" and Charles S. Dutton's "Dillon" during the concluding minutes of the film. It best describes a movie that was plagued from the beginning with script re-writes, budget constraints, executive interference, and last but not least, a change of directors. First-time helmsman David Fincher had the undaunted task of pulling off what seemed as project doomed from the start. He and his crew had to really "improvise." This fascinating two-disc set provides insight into the movie and its many problems. It would be to the viewer's advantage to watch the second disc first as it really offers a journey into the production of a motion picture. The commentary by the cast and crew is unbelievably honest as both discuss the ups and downs of project. One of the highlights is screenwriter Vincent Ward's original premise for the film. Had the story been used, the film would've had a different tone and, perhaps, been a better critical success. However, the real "find" is the special edition, featuring an additional (and much needed) thirty minutes. The extra half hour provides more character and plot development that improves the film tremendously. Even the modified "ending" is more poetic that the theatrical's version. While the film doesn't quite have the terror of the first or the action quota of the second, it is still a worthy installment in the franchise. For fans of the film or those interested in filmmaking, this is an essential purchase. Rating for the film: 3.5
Rating for the supplemental disc: 4.5
Total: 4
Rating:
Summary: An underrated film gets a second chance with great new DVD
Review: "Alien 3" has always been given the harshest treatment of any of the Alien films. Having to follow up Ridley Scott's suspense masterpiece and Jim Cameron's action-adventure juggernaut of a sequel is no easy task. I have always looked at David Fincher's third entry as sort of a misunderstood child in the Alien franchise. Perhaps going from the thrill-a-minute gun-blazing epic that was "Aliens" to a sort of a dark and gloomy European-style "cat and mouse" film was too much of a sour note for most of the fans and critics to handle. From the hectic details of the production to the less-than-stellar way in which the film was received, many saw "Alien 3" as being a mediocre final nail in the coffin of the Alien series. I have always had a special place in my heart for this film and now with its latest DVD release, it is finally getting the treatment that I feel it honestly deserves. With this latest edition of "Alien 3" on DVD as part of the "Alien Quadrilogy" boxed set, you not only get the controversial 1991 theatrical version but a never-before-seen "alternate version" of the film that includes over 30 minutes of new footage. Included in this new version are several new sequences including an alternate opening sequence and several lost "character moments". In this version, the alien is born through a dead bull, instead of a dog. We also get more of an insight into Charles Dutton's Dillion as his role as a sort of religous leader is defined a lot deeper. There is also a number of sequences showing what happened to Paul McGann's "Golic" that were omitted from the original version. The "alternate ending" isn't very different from the original one but there are a few subtle changes. For the record, this is not a "director's cut" as David Fincher had nothing to do with this DVD release at all. "Alien 3" is in my opinion, a lot better film that it ever gets credit for. Charles Dutton's perfomance alone is better than anything seen in the terrible "Alien: Resurrection". Elliot Goldenthal's musical score is absolutely brilliant and is not mentioned nearly enough when people talk about this movie. In my opinion, the music may have been one of the things that I enjoyed the most about the movie. The lack of firepower has always been something that the die-hard fans have always complained about but I never saw it as a problem. Maybe today's audiences just aren't into the whole idea of trying to outsmart the creature in a tunnel maze rather than just blowing it up with a grenade launcher. "Alien 3" also displayed a far better use of performances. I was a big fan of the character interactions between both Ripley and Clemens as well as Ripley and Dillion. From an acting perspective, Weaver is given a lot more to do, this time around. Not that her performance in the other two films was ever bad but she really takes over here. I have always felt that this was a good way to end the series but Fox's decision to release a fourth film in 1997 shows that perhaps, many people didn't agree. This one is superior to "Resurrection" on every level. This DVD is packed with bonus features including a full-length commentary for both versions of the film with numerous members of the cast & crew. As previously stated, director David Fincher is noticeably absent. We also get a whole bunch of featurettes that cover nearly every aspect of the film's production. These do a great deal to show the frustration that the crew had to deal with when working on this film. It also shows all of the different concepts for the script and overall design of the film that were abandoned. For any of the fans who truly enjoyed "Alien 3", this is certainly a definitive collector's item.
Rating:
Summary: Old School Special Effects
Review: "Alien 3" has its share of problems, but one of them is not "bad CGI effects" as some reviewers have mistakenly noted. At the time this film was made, CGI was not where it is today (at least not ouside studios like PDI or ILM). In every shot, the Alien was either a rod puppet shot against bluescreen manned by several puppeteers or a man-in-a-suit by ADI. The shadows of the puppet Alien were created digtially, but optically comped (a choice that created many headaches). The ONLY CG shot in the film was when the Alien's head cracks. The crack was drawn & animated by an animator on traditional paper and digitally composited. Jim Rygiel (VFX on LOTR) was the CG supervisor at Boss Film during that era, and created the single digital composite in the film--which, at the time, was a pretty cool accomplishment. Not having the luxury of CG, the problem of how to make a quadruped Alien move & look real was a difficult one. The rod puppet crew was headed by the very talented Laine Liska (who has since passed on), but the speed and agility needed for the movement of the creature went beyond what could convincingly be portrayed through puppetry. A tough show for the VFX crew and for Fincher, who could not convince Fox to let him just do his job.
Rating: 
Summary: Lousy movie!!
Review: "Alien 3" is not nearly as good as "Aliens," in fact, it is much worse. The problem is, the movie ran out of materials.
Rating:
Summary: Worst sequel ever made!
Review: "Alien" was a relentlessly bleak, beautifully atmospheric masterpiece of horror and dread, one of the few truly adult examples of the science fiction genre. Its sequel, "Aliens", was far less disturbing, aiming more for visceral, action-movie thrills; nonetheless, it was still a powerhouse of a movie, especially in its wonderful "Special Edition" DVD incarnation. The notorious "Alien 3", on the other hand, is an utterly miserable failure, certainly the most insultingly juvenile follow-up to a good movie since the equally terrible "Return of the Jedi". From its hopelessly rushed, sloppily-edited opening title sequence, to its endless, murky "alien-cam" chase finale, "Alien 3" consists of nothing more than a shocking series of miscalculations on the part of the filmmakers, who manage to create not even one moment of suspense, horror, or thrills in nearly two hours of MTV-styled tedium. Particularly frustrating (and embarrassing) for the viewer is watching Sigourney Weaver and Lance Henriksen, two great performers, struggle to create anything interesting with their underwritten characters; both fail horribly. Even "Alien 4" looks great in comparison to this, possibly the worst sequel ever made.
Rating:
Summary: ALIEN 3!
Review: "Aliens" was my favorite film in the series, so when they kill off Newt and Hicks in the opening credtis fo this one, I was very, very, very, ticked off! So Ripley is now stranded on a penal colony, convinced the big bad aliens are about to start killing everyone! The second-half of the film manages to redeem itself somewhat when we find out why the aliens have spared Ripley! David Fincher's 1992 film is certainly the weakest film in the (so far) four films, although Signourney Weaver struggles valiantly with the script's shortcomings!
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