10 Horror Movie Sequels That Deserve A Second Chance

10. Alien: Resurrection

The first two entries in the Alien saga became bona fide classics, whereas 1993’s Alien 3 was so mangled by studio interference that then-fledgling filmmaker David Fincher outright disowned it. That’s quite understandable given how much its bleak tone and offensive narrative choices also angered countless viewers.

Clearly, it was time for another stylistic revision, and for better and worse, 1997’s Alien: Resurrection was the palette cleanser cinemagoers received. In hindsight – and legitimate issues notwithstanding – the fourth Alien film should at least be applauded for being so brazenly and relentlessly strange and entertaining.

It’s directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children) and penned by the admittedly problematic Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers), and both the former’s eccentricities and the latter’s quippy dialogue permeate the journey.

Therefore, Alien: Resurrection has an alluringly idiosyncratic essence that’s delightfully bewildering.

Part of that appeal is due to how badass heroine Ellen Ripley returns - well, Ripley 8, that is - and subsequently behaves, with curious turns from Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman, Brad Dourif, and various other performers enhancing what’s undeniably a one-of-a-kind ensemble cast.

By the end, Alien: Resurrection goes entirely off the rails, and while it doesn’t always succeed, it’s a routinely fascinating experiment.