Review of Alien Resurrection (1997) by Codie E — 21 Apr 2011

Although criticised and maligned, Alien3 works in spirit with the first two films before it. It is a serious science fiction story with strong elements of horror and action. But more importantly the characters that inhabit the world feel real. In Alien and Aliens, both the crew of the Nostromo and the marince core, feel like real human beings doing their job. The two films truly are working class space operas. And for all of Alien3's faults, it too has real characters. The men of Fury-161 feel like they live there. That they are confined to and belong to this fictional world.

Alien Resurrection by this notion does not work as an Alien film. Joss Whedon's script is far too gimicky, comedic and self aware. Aided by the inhumanity of Ripley, the film feels like nothing more than a comic book. Not an engaging and horrific depiction of an imagined world.

Whedon has been public about his unhappiness with the final film, complaining that his script was taken too literally and that director Jeunet and cast missed the sarcasm and humour of the script. But the humour itself, not its delivery, is the problem. Had Whedon directed the film or even have been more involved, his vision does not comply with the universe of the previous Alien Trilogy.

All of the blame cannot be attributed to the writer however. Jeunet, while having some interesting visuals does not make the action or emotion work. The design is okay, but not a patch on the visionary work of the previous three directors.

Therefore the title Alien Resurrection is rather ironic. This fourth part did not resurrection the Alien saga. It killed it.