Review of Alien³ (1992) by Noah M — 28 Aug 2014

4/4 stars. The epitome of the sci-fi horror genre, this 1979 classic is as scary and visually dazzling today as it was back then.

Where to begin is the big question. Let's start with plot. It is unique and highly original. It also allows for some really fascinating set-pieces as well as some memorable imagery. Also the plot allows for some dazzling, yet frightening, special effects. Without the use of CGI, this film's futuristic sets and spaceships/alien life forms look shockingly and off-putingly realistic. But most of all, the plot allows for some pulse-pounding suspense. There were a couple times in this movie that I had to remind myself to breath. The film is low on gore (which made me happy as I don't enjoy realistic violence in movies) but is VERY high on pulse-pounding suspense. That suspense is made even more suspenseful (sorry for the redundancy) by the alien itself. The website watch mojo declared this alien as the scariest alien in movie history. Who can blame them? This alien is a marvel of special effects. I've seen the suit that they used in Aliens for the this alien. It was terrifying and utterly realistic looking from right there in Disney World. And the excellent lighting and added ooze from its mouth, as well as it's ingenious mouth-within-a-mouth, make it twice as scary on the big screen.

Now, all that being said, it wasn't the scariest movie ever either. But it was one of the most suspenseful, almost matching the work of Hitchcock. Normally when me and my friends watch old horror movies, I comment on how scary they were at the time while they just shake their heads and laugh. Not so with Alien. They think it's pretty scary by today's standard as well. This was the first R rated movie I've ever seen. It remains the best R rated movie I've ever seen too.