Alien 3 is a missed opportunity. Its premise is decent, its filmmaker is special (although inexperienced), and Sigourney Weaver is back to complete the trilogy. Unfortunately, despite all this, Alien 3 is downright dull. Plot points take too long to develop, characters aren't fleshed out, and motivations are slim. The movie starts with promise, but ultimately doesn't establish any emotional connection, uniqueness, or meaning. Eventually, Alien 3 devolves into a generic Syfy original movie that happens to have recognizable names attached. It isn't necessarily bad, but the film just doesn't compel viewers to feel anything.
Meanwhile, the craft behind Alien 3 is mostly average. The visuals lightly use suggestion, wide-angles, and sharp lighting. The editing dramatizes the burial scene (yet later fails to coherently build the action). The sounds of the xenomorph are daunting. The costume and prosthetics of the xenomorph are convincing (though overly substituted for poor CGI). Plus, the production design is the highlight since it sells the dystopian setting. However, these aspects aren't consistent or potent enough to overtake any scenes, leaving the overall experience feeble and stale. Ultimately, Alien 3 just isn't fun, interesting, or significant. Instead, it's forgettable.
Writing: 4/10
Direction: 5/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Acting: 7/10
Editing: 6/10
Sound: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 5/10
Production Design: 8/10
Casting: 7/10
Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 6.2/10
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