Review of Alien Resurrection (1997) by Tristan M — 24 Mar 2015

I don't know why this movie was necessary, as Alien 3 already puts a good end to the franchise. The director isn't one to make a movie of this kind either, but to my surprise doesn't do a terrible job.

This movie gets off to a good start in my opinion, has a good story, some decent characters except Cole who is a pain, with an annoying voice and presence, and the effects for the aliens are pretty darn good.

They are more wet and slimy, far more mobile, and far more modern looking. However at the same time we can make out few details on them, as they are so wet and slinky everything reflects off them so they are either black, or a white reflection.

They are also very smart, and its cool to see them discover ways to escape, but u prefer the alien from the second film Aliens over this one or the other two. Ripley has been brought back, is as cool as ever, but something I didn't like was how she seemed to have some sort of superpower to feel where the aliens were and what they would do, as well as her ability to be very strong and not be injured.

And how she is also almost half alien, with acid blood and love for 'her kind'. This instalment also has the most gore to date within the series, with the eating of heads, gunshot wounds, and plenty of blood spatters.

So I enjoyed the first half of this movie, aside from some stupid moments like Johner hanging upside down on the ladder to shoot the alien climbing it. Also also dislikeable are some of the bad red bullet effects that the guns fire, and other CGI like the exploding alien on the ladder, the bug in to intro, the ship exploding and the blood and guts getting sucked out the window at the end.

But what really screws this movie over incredibly well is the ending. A different alien type emerges from the belly of the queen, and looks nothing like anything that has previously been seen. It's like a cross between a human and an alien, and it kills the queen alien, another human, then cuddles with Ripley.

WTF IS COING ON HERE. This has no explanation, makes no sense, made me laugh at its stupidity, and simply shouldn't be here. Then it gets sucked out a crack in a window, and it makes Ripley all sad as if she had a connection to it.

I have no idea what exactly is going on with that creature. It completely ruined the movie, and if it wasn't for the beginning being enjoyable and the impressive looking aliens, then I would have given this movie an easy 3/10, possibly lower.

Overall the movie is the biggest downfall of the franchise, for the most part simply poorly executed, and I think the fault goes to the choice of director. Feels a lot newer and more modern than the other alien films, but kinda falls flat from the stupid ending and other moments that didn't go well with me.

Disappointing.