The 90s sci-fi sequel that became a mega-franchise disaster has finally been redeemed!

The author Drew Dietz
| Updated 1 hour ago

Alien 3 there was always a steep hill to climb. Impressive success An alienand Aliens largely stood out over David Fincher's theatrical debut. It also had to deal with “the curse of the third movie” and the end of the trilogy is perceived.

Unfortunately, acceptance for Alien 3 In 1992, it was undoubtedly cool from the audience and critics. And over the years, it remains one of the most controversial records around the world. An alien franchise.

But thanks to time and an unexpected new version of the film, Alien 3 has gone on to become one of the most exciting and ground-breaking sci-fi/horror films of recent decades.

As a sci-fi sequel, it went awry at first

So much worked against Alien 3 before the audience saw one frame of the film. Conceptualizing the film was a chaotic nightmare. Several versions of the film were never released, including one that would have set the film on a planet of wooden monks. The film's original director was fired shortly before production began, and first-time director David Fincher was under constant pressure from extensive rewrites by the producers, rewrites that took place during the making of the film. And that's just the end Alien 3an iceberg of grief.

Even without knowing about the film's behind-the-scenes problems, the audience was particularly critical of them Alien 3. The first film was a cultural smash, and the sequel managed to deliver an experience that satisfied both fans of the original film and newcomers alike. This third entry will be scrutinized no matter what it did.

What made it doubly difficult is that Alien 3 decided to be an inferior film. Opening the film by killing off two of the surviving characters from the previous film really pulled the rug out from the audience in a brutal way. And the film continued to be antagonistic, as it was a heavy, doomed story that culminated in the death of the series' main character, Ellen Ripley.

Add to that other factors like an ensemble cast consisting mostly of unrecognizable British white guys, a compromised final edit that removed all plot points, and a grimy prison atmosphere that only served to enhance the depressing tone of the entire film. There were so many factors influencing the audience that they might not click with Alien 3 at each surface level.

Although the film was a financial success, it paled in comparison to the huge achievements of the previous films. Along with mostly negative responses, Alien 3 was always considered a failure in the grand scheme of the franchise.

Until one day that started to change.

Why Alien 3 has finally been accepted

Alien 3 certainly had their protectors, but they were objectively in the minority. That started to change when Alien 3 received a brand new release in 2003 as part of The Alien Quadrilogy DVD box set. Each of the first four films had their own theatrical cuts and alternate cuts. This new version is called “Assembly Cut”. Alien 3 restored nearly 40 minutes of unused or alternate material not included on the original release.

This caused many fans to overestimate Alien 3 as this new version – the only alternate cut in the set not overseen by its director – offered a slightly less compromised view of the intent of this third track. By offering fans a new version of the film, they revisited a film they may have written off after just one viewing.

Thanks to this new version, fans began to see how technically impressive the production is Alien 3 was. And as David Fincher became a heralded talent in the world of filmmaking, it was also a look back at the evolution of his approach and style. Even the film's detractors are willing to admit it Alien 3 maintains the series' legacy of spectacular filmmaking.

The Assembly Cut also helped flesh out the relationship between Ripley and some of the other characters. The romance that develops between Ripley and the doctor character played by Charles Day is well executed, and his eventual death is actually tragic. And Charles S. Dutton almost gets away with the whole movie as the religious leader of the prisoners.

The Assembly Cut also provides a better mood by allowing scenes to linger longer. If a gloomy tone Alien 3 turn you off, can't miss it. But if you can click with what the film is trying to achieve, the Assembly Cut offers a more cohesive and fully realized version of that vision.

Alien 3 will always manage to be a franchise-divisive film. However, the release of the Assembly Cut, which has itself seen re-edits in subsequent home video releases, managed to show just how misunderstood this film was released. Speaking personally, I even believe that the original theatrical version of the film is valuable. Yes, it's an inevitable film, but that's what it's all about, and it pulls off that ethos with strong performances and even stronger filmmaking.

Alien 3 deserves the cult following it has managed to cultivate over the past decade. It's a very different experience than any other film in the series, and that alone makes it a unique project worth celebrating.