Alien Countdown Day 2: Alien 3 *spoilers*

"Your ass is already on the line. The question is, what're you going to do about it?"

-Ellen Ripley 

The week of celebration continues. Alien 3 is another film that is universally disliked by Alien-purists. While the story doesn't do much for the overall universe, it's still a fun and great way to say goodbye to the real Ellen Ripley (remember she's a clone in Resurrection).




The storytelling of this film is closely related to the first one. Aliens was more of an action thriller while Alien and Alien 3 are both slow-burn suspenseful horror.

Ripley, flying through space in cryosleep, following the events of Aliens, crash lands on prison-planet Fury 161. She is the sole survivor...other than a rouge face-hugger.

The face-hugger impregnates a dog, which leads to the Xenomorph terrorizing the characters of this film.

Let me tell you right now, I know most people think Alien Resurrection is worse than 3, but does a dog die in Alien Resurrection?... That's what I thought.

Moving on...

The movie follows Ripley maneuvering a crowd of rapists and murders, while also trying to maintain her sanity. Just like the last one, no one believes her stories of the Xenomorph, so it's a story of trust and fear.

 

You have the scene where Ripley and the beast are face-to-face, and it's one of the most iconic shots of the franchise.

The Xenomorph does nothing to Ripley because it can smell what's growing within her and the viewer doesn't find out 'til later with one of the best twists of the franchise, the fact that Ripley has a Queen embryo within her.

Ripley and the inmates of Fury 161 work together to trap and kill the Xenomorph.

"You're all gonna die. The only question is how you check out. Do you want it on your feet? Or on your fuckin' knees... begging? I ain't much for begging! Nobody ever gave me nothing! So I say fuck that thing! Let's fight it!"

- Dillon

Of course, the Weyland Corp shows up at the end, promising to put an end to all of the lies and death. What do you know? THEY LIED...but Ripley knew it. Which is why she dove to her demise.

This gives us the other most iconic shot in the film, Ripley falling into the fire with the Queen embryo bursting through as she falls.

Just a thought: Why are all of the prisoners British? Is this a UK Prison-planet? It seems kind of out of place to me. Sure, there are brits in Alien, but not a one in Aliens.

...I know what you're thinking, is Franky Reality prejudice against Brits? Not at all, just something I noticed...anyway

Alien 3 is a good sequel. The movie gets crap reviews, and for what? Apart from some brief and crappy CGI, the cinematography stays true to the original 2. The practical effects, when used, make the xenomorph look even more terrifying.

You have Tywin Lannister addicted to morphine, and a bald Ripley, and in the end, Bishop is still a dick.

 I really like this movie, and I think most people have a beef with it because Ridley Scott didn't direct it. However it is important to note, Scott was interested in being apart of the process, but in production with 3 other films when approached.

4 out of 5 face-hugger eggs