Perhaps these films are like the Star Trek movies: The even-numbered episodes are the best ones. Certainly this film (directed by French stylist Jean-Pierre Jeunet) is an improvement over Alien 3, with a script that breathes exciting new life into the franchise. This chapter is set even further in the future, where scientists on a space colony have cloned both the alien and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who died in Alien 3; in doing so, however, they've mixed alien DNA with Ripley's human chromosomes, which gives Ripley surprising power (and a bad attitude). A band of smugglers comes aboard only to discover the new race of aliens--and when the multi-mouthed melonheads get loose, no place is safe. But, on the plus side, they have Ripley as a guide to help them get out. Winona Ryder is on hand as the smugglers' most unlikely crew member (with a secret of her own), but this one is Sigourney's all the way. --Marshall Fine
(39 votes)
2.
Ellen Ripley died fighting the perfect predator. Two hundred years and eight horrific experiments later, she's back. A group of scientists have cloned her--along with the alien queen inside her--hoping to breed the ultimate weapon. But the resurrected Ripley is full of surprises for her "creators," as are the aliens.
(40 votes)
3.
In ALIEN 4: RESURRECTION, the fourth installment of the wildly popular series of science fiction movies that began with ALIEN, a drop of Ellen Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) blood spawns a part human, part alien Ripley clone. Now that Ripley is dead, the clone has fallen into the hands of government scientists who want to harness the Ripley clone's breeding powers. When the new and improved Ripley lands on a ship of androids, her mere appearance sets the action rolling. Stepping in to help put a stop to the madness is tiny android named Call (Winona Ryder), as well as the ship's fellow crew members (including Dominique Pinon, Ron Perlman, and Michael Wincott).
For the first time in his feature film career, French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (DELICATESSEN, THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN) takes sole directorial credit, leaving his partner Marc Caro to concentrate on artistic direction. ALIEN RESURRECTION has far more in common with ALIEN 3 than the series' first two parts, most notably due to its overtly humorous tone. Jeunet also applies his traditional Gothic visual style to the slimy, effects-heavy riot, resulting in a work that is as reliant upon style as it is substance. Scripted by Joss Whedon, creator of the Warner Brothers television show, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, the film marks an energetic and flashy transition to Hollywood film making for Jeunet.
(39 votes)
4.
Witness the resurrection.
Two hundred years have passed since Ripley made the ultimate sacrifice on Fiorina 161. But over the years, and after seven horrific failures, scientists have finally cloned a perfect replica of Ripley, which includes the alien Queen growing inside her at the time of her death. But this new breed of alien is far more intelligent than its predecessors - a fact the scientists don't realize until after The Betty has arrived with additional human hosts.
(39 votes)
5.
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) died fighting the perfect predator. Two hundred years and eight horrific experiments later, she’s back. A group of scientists have cloned her, along with the alien queen inside her, hoping to breed the ultimate weapon. But the resurrected Ripley is full of surprises for her “creators”, as are the aliens. And soon, a lot more than “all hell” breaks loose! To combat the creatures, Ripley must team up with a band of smugglers, including a mechanic named Call (Winona Ryder), who holds more than a few surprises of her own.
(40 votes)
6.
Alien: Resurrection, the fourth entry in the franchise, is directed by French stylist Jean-Pierre Jeunet in a much more straightforward action-adventure manner than its predecessor, the dark and confusing Alien 3. This chapter is set even further in the future, where scientists on a space colony have cloned both the alien and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who died in Alien 3; in doing so, however, they've mixed alien DNA with Ripley's human chromosomes, which gives Ripley surprising power (and a bad attitude). A band of smugglers comes aboard only to discover the new race of aliens--and when the multi-mouthed melon heads get loose, no place is safe. But, on the plus side, they have Ripley as a guide to help them get out. Winona Ryder is on hand as the smugglers' most unlikely crew member (with a secret of her own), but this one is Sigourney's all the way. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com
On the DVD: Unlike the first Alien movie which has an excellent documentary and director's commentary, this DVD is light on extras (although digital picture and sound quality are excellent) with only a perfunctory "making of" featurette.
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