10 Horror Movie Sequels That Took Risks... And Failed
9. Alien 3
From one perfectly alright sequel undermined by one bad choice to another, and it's time to discuss Alien 3.
To call this movie 'alright' is quite a hot take, but there's an argument to be made that Alien 3 is a perfectly OK sci-fi horror flick in many departments. Taken on its own terms, Alien 3 is reasonably thrilling, has another fine lead turn from Sigourney Weaver, and a stacked supporting cast of gifted character actors, so it feels a little unfair to call it bad overall.
Rather, this is the Terminator: Dark Fate of the Alien series. It's a perfectly fine sequel that opens with a creative choice so godawful it casts a shadow over the entire film.
That is the utterly dreadful way this movie kills off Newt (Carrie Henn) and Hicks (Michael Biehn) in the opening scene. This was a callous and mean-spirited way to kill off two beloved characters, and Newt's death stunk in particular, as she was the heart of the previous picture.
It's not known exactly why this narrative route was chosen, but regardless, this was a creative decision that felt like an affront to both the characters and the audience. Once again, the rest of the movie is OK if this opening is taken out of the equation, but then again, it does make it harder to look back on Alien 3 with too much fondness.