Alien Resurrection Review

by "Michael J. Legeros" (legeros AT pagesz DOT net)
December 3rd, 1997
Alien: Resurrection
   
    A movie review by Michael J. Legeros
    Copyright 1997 by Michael J. Legeros

(Fox)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Written by Joss Whedon
Cast Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Gary Dourdan, Michael Wincott, Kim Flowers, Dan Hedaya
MPAA Rating "R" (for strong sci-fi violence and gore, some grotesque images, and for language)
Running Time 108 minutes
Reviewed at The Wynnsong 10, Durham, NC (26NOV97)

==

    ALIEN: RESURRECTION is a mess. The fourth film in the series is easily the worst film in the series. No, it's not a total bomb-- Ms. Weaver is immanently watchable, the art direction is a winner, there's more humor to go around, and director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN, DELICATESSEN) has a great eye for the grotesque. If nothing else, there's certainly more goo, glop, and gore than in the first three films combined. (The opening scene details, in queasy close-up, the surgical removal of you know what from Ms. Weaver's cloned character's chest.) But is it exciting, suspenseful, or even scary? No, not really. More than anything else, there's just too much going on. The various chases and fire-fights are so poorly integrated that even the best bits often cancel each other out. To make matters worse, the score (by John Frizzell) telegraphs each and every boo before it happens. The finale is the worst, with a hybrid creature as likely to inspire giggles as gags. (Okay, the presence of Winona Ryder is pretty damn funny, too.) And can someone please explain the final scene? Why is everyone so happy after witnessing such huge and presum- ably devastating destruction? Game over, man.

    Grade: C-

--
Mike Legeros - Movie Hell
http://www.nonvirtual.com/hell/

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