Alien Resurrection Review
by Bert Gene (reviewman AT yahoo DOT com)December 24th, 1997
A Review of Alien Resurrection
Tagline: "Witness the Resurrection (of another bad Alien sequel)"
Not learning much from the lesson of letting a Frenchman make a sci-fi film after $80 million disaster THE FIFTH ELEMENT, Twentieth Century Fox once again hires Luc Besson to destroy yet what could've been another science fiction classic, the $70 million ALIEN RESURRECTION. At least they saved about $10 million this time around. In order to payback its hefty budget, the fourth installment of the formerly popular series attempts to resurrect not only Sigourney but also the elements of the first two films that made the franchise a critical and financial success. Granted, the heavy-duty action of ALIENS and the claustrophobic terror of the original ALIEN are present in RESURRECTION. They even throw in an obligatory butt scene--reminiscent of that of Sigourney's near the end ALIEN--with Kim Flowers plump backside bulging out of a pair of g-string undies as Michael Dudikoff massages her feet. However, despite all of these appealing familiarities, it's ultimately the French element sprinkled in by Besson that spoils the ingredient for this sequel for its American audience.
Sigourney Weaver (most noted in GORILLA IN THE CLOUDS, THE ICE PIRATES) once again returns to her role as Probation Officer Ellen Ripley, but this time she's a whacked out, smartass cloned version of her former self who, 20 years previously, heroically leaped to her death in ALIEN 3. Joining her along for the adventure is humanitarian android named Call, played by Winona Judd (BEETLEJUICE, HEATHERS). Also, in minor supporting roles are Ron Perlman as the big gorilla-type bully Johner, Dominic Pinon as the horizontally challenged Vriess, Stephen Dorff as the mad geneticist Dr. Guinan, Dan Hyhena as the goofball General Perez, J.E. Freeman as untrustworthy Dr. Wren, Michael Dudikoff as toad-caught-in-this-throat Elgyn, John Leguizamo as serious officer DiStephano, and Kim Flowers as the "other" tough female ball buster Hillary. This is pretty much the extent with which the supporting characters are developed before becoming dinner for the aliens.
As for the story, Ripley and Call soon find themselves along with rest of the space pirates bunched up against a crowed of loose, DNA enhanced aliens that wreck havoc onboard ship called the Algeria. Because Ripley herself is half-alien and missing a few human brain cells, the pirates--particularly Call--are reluctant to form an alliance with this alien ball buster. Once they figure out that they have no chance to win the "cat and mouse" game with the aliens, they all get behind Ripley as she rips the shit out of the slimy acid beings and leads them back to their ship that's docked inside the Algeria before they crash on Earth.
Although the concept may sound interesting, the story seems to get lost in its confusion on exactly what type of film it's suppose to be. Here comes the problem of Besson who seems to want to try to impose his Frenchie artsy style on his latest interpretation of the American series. (Did we see Cameron impose this Australian culture and values in the classic ALIENS?) Self-indulgent Besson casts two of his stock French actors Ron Perlman and Dominic Pinon from CHILDREN OF THE LOST CITY as two contrived weirdo characters who are more fitting in some bizarre independent art film than a sci-fi action flick. Who wants to see some big asinine ogre and a crippled midget with a speech impediment trying to resolve their sexual tensions through petty bickering for the entire film? (And you thought the heterosexual black gay guy was weird and annoying in THE FIFTH ELEMENT.) Besson figures that if he just makes his characters odd, it automatically develops them. With his attention focused on his odd French characters, the director pretty much ignores the other supporting characters which end up going to waste. For example, with the comic ingenuity of John Leguizamo, imagine how Besson could've made DiStephano more interesting and funny. But instead, we are forced to see Leguizamo suffer as he plays his character straight... into boredom.
In addition, Besson has to incorporate his kinky French sensibility of sex into the film. Ripley, in one scene, is sucked into some gooey bio-matter and does some soft porn antics with one of the aliens which the director attempts to sexualize through fade ins and outs. From what I can gather, the aliens seem to prefer the traditional missionary position. Hence, this brings up the question: Is Ripley a Catholic? The director never explores this possibility and leaves yet another possible moment of character development behind. At this point, Besson rather subjects us with graphic details of the alien queen giving birth to an albino mutant alien out of her new human-like womb which is much more grotesque than those explicit health videos that you're forced to watch in the 10th grade. And yes, it does get worse when we see the new albino mutant progeny French-kiss Ripley with its eight foot long tongue. Did I forget to mention that these aliens also ooze lots of bodily fluids out of their mouths onto the humans as well? YUCK!!!
Due to the director's incompetence, the story never grows beyond the gross visual spectacles. And the characters are more like mannequins, acting as mere decorations to the film. In particular, Call had some potential in becoming interesting, but she ends up not doing much for the film except looking good. Winona Judd never seems to quite fit into the role and looks out of place especially during the chaotic action sequences. Her sister Ashley Judd would've faired much better in the role, especially after audiences got to see her as the "I'm no victim" kickboxer/doctor in last fall's KISS THE GIRLS with Morgan Freeman. Maybe Winona should go back to her former singing career and leave the acting talents with her much better-looking sister.
In all, ALIEN RESURRECTION gets lost is its artsy visual spectacle, leaving us with a unexplored story with lots of unresolved holes and bodybags of empty characters. Hopefully by the time Alien 5 is made, the studio and producers will understand that a good script, not an expensive budget, big stars, and a foreign director with a keen eye, is the secret magic in making a good sequel.
Reviewman "I give it a clap and a couple yawns" (Out of four claps)
Starring
Sigourney Weaver......Ripley Clone 8
Winona Judd...............Annalee Call
Ron Perlman..............Johner
Dominic Pinon............Vriess
Stephen Dorff.............Dr. Guinan
J.E. Freeman..............Dr. Wren
Michael Dudikoff.........Elgyn
Gary Dourdan.............Christie
Leland Orser...............Purvis
Dan Hyhena................General Perez
John Leguizamo..........DiStephano
Kim Flowers................Hillary
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