Thank God that whoever is responsible for Alien Resurrection has some humour, some originality and some brains. Going into the movie theatre, I was worried that the latest Alien flick was going to be some lamely-hashed out excuse for a shoot-em-up quick moneymaker.
Quite the opposite, however. The plot line -- if you dig the whole `corporate conspiracy' motif that's been prevalent throughout the Alien series - is basically that Ripley is `resurrected' 200 years later, on board a scientific space vessel, with a bunch of nasty alien beasties which eventually get out and start driving their inner mini-jaws through a collection of unlucky humans. That's been the essential storyline for the entire Alien franchise; humans and aliens don't co-habitate well.
But with Alien Resurrection, the moviemakers have added certain twists and tweaks to `The Life of Ripley.' First of all, the now twohundredsomething gal is made more Schwartzeneggeresque, meaning she says less than usual but is filled with humourous one-liners. "I thought you were dead," says someone. "I get that a lot," is her Arnold-like reply.
There are some great scenes -- particularly when Ripley & Co. find room 1 - 7. The entire episode is both fascinating and creepy at the same time (and makes the opening sequence, during the credits, make sense). Sigourney Weaver proves, yet again, that a woman lead actor in a testosterone-laden flick can make it work, if the character is believable. Winona Ryder proves, yet again, that she can't act her way out of a wet alien pod. The usual accompanying cast of allies/ alien-fodder are an interesting enough bunch, with the arachnophobic Ron Perlman given the best character (and doing the best job at it).
There are moments of true sexual tension in Alien Resurrection, with most involving Ripley (with Perlman and with Winona). But even then, there is an eventual plot twist which makes the lesbo-eroticism digestible and humourous.
All in all, I would say this is (obviously) a must see for anyone into the whole Alien universe, and highly recommended for those who like a quality flick that's got `intelligent' gore, suspense, humour, good characters, a good story, excellent effects and a Queen alien beastie that makes you believe the maternal instinct is inherent in all God's creatures, even those that kill all the humans from Alien Resurrection in the most heinous and amusing of fashions.
Metadata: