rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States; 1997
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet; produced by Bill Badalato, Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill; written by Joss Whedon
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Dominique Pinon, Ron Perlman, Gary Dourdan, Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, Brad Dourif
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
'Alien: Resurrection' could be called a new start in a lot of ways. The most
obvious reason is the resurrection of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who is
cloned by scientists and used as the host for a new queen alien. Now the
scientists, with their lab on a space ship, have thirteen aliens with the
intend to tame them. Ripley is spared because she herself is a pretty
interesting science project with one surprise after another. Before the
thirteen aliens are there the queen has to lay her eggs and each one of them
needs a human host to become a real alien. These humans are delivered by a
ship called the Betty. On board we find Call (Winona Ryder), Vriess
(Dominique Pinon, a regular in Jean-Pierre Jeunet films), Johner (Ron
Perlman), Christie (Gary Dourdan), Frank (Michael Wincott) and Sabra (Kim
Flowers). Of course the aliens escape and together with Ripley these few
people try to find their way back to the Betty and stay alive while doing
that.
As for the story, asking too many questions would destroy this film. It is
filled with implausible moments, if that is the right word, but it starts
intriguing. Ripley seems to be not really a good girl here, she is not the
Ripley as we have known her. She has a strange connection with the aliens,
maybe because part of her is alien. We don't now for sure. After the aliens
have escaped and Ripley joins the gang we get the usual stuff, mixing some
aspects from 'Aliens' (weapons against more than one alien) with some from
'Alien 3' (one by one they get killed, even though they run like crazy).
Speaking of 'Alien 3', I think this film is a little better for a couple of
simple reasons. The main one here is that this entry seems to be apart from
the other three. 'Alien 3' sort of spoiled the trilogy, 'Alien:
Resurrection' stands on its own and becomes a nice genre piece this way.
Maybe the story is not that good, it has some good scares and Sigourney
Weaver is as intriguing here as she was cool in 'Alien 3'. Few actresses can
play a heroine the way she does it, carrying the entire film. A lot of
single moments are fun because of her.
Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet is a man who can create films that look
beautiful. Before this one he made 'Delicatessen' and 'La Cité des Enfants
Perdus' and after he made 'Amélie' and 'Un Long Dimanche de Fiançailles',
films that are visually stunning. 'Alien: Resurrection' looks good as well,
although completely different from the earlier films, another example of the
new start this film makes. If you are able to disconnect this installment
from especially 'Alien' and 'Aliens' you must be able to enjoy this film as
a sci-fi horror. If you think you can not do that this film will be almost
as big a disappointment as 'Alien 3'.