Alien³

Sift through the film’s disjointed, episodic structure, however, and there’s much to admire. Considerable criticism, from both audiences and former cast and crew members on the series, was directed at the decision to callously kill off Lt. Hicks (Michael Biehn) and Newt (Carrie Henn) in the opening credits. Regarded on its own terms, though, their deaths fit well within the series’s bleak tone.

Everything that Fincher became known for originates here: the dank interiors, the sense of dread dripping from every vent and furrowed brow. His direction is magnificent. The voice of a master was silenced by everyone loud enough to be heard… The film may be riddled with imperfections, but it transcends them. If Ridley Scott’s Alien is science fiction turned into art, Alien³ is art maimed viciously until it resembles science fiction.