Ranking All The Alien & Predator Movies, From Worst To Best

This unloved entry is an odd failure; it eagerly revived Ripley and attempted to revitalise the franchise for a new start. Instead, it crashed-and-burned, putting the kibosh on the series for almost a decade.

One of the central problems is the script (by Joss Whedon) and the direction (by Jean-Pierre Jeunet) are constantly at odds with each other. Whedon wants to build a slick and fun blockbuster filled with big set-pieces and lay ground for sequels. Jenuet wants to create a super gory absurdist comedy in-synch with his early surreal French backlog.

The two clashing mindsets result in a messy movie that baffles with its gonzo tone and leaves many enticing plot additions (e.g. Ripley's new powers, Wynonna Ryder's Android) by the wayside.

Still, when the two styles gel, the results are thrilling (the underwater/ladder shootout). Plus Jenuet's casting of Ron Perlman as a badass space pirate is a total scene stealer. Overall, it's able to feint a sense of entertainment until the third act implodes with a grossly misjudged new monster.

Regardless of the flaws, at least it's a film with truckloads of personality. It's just a shame there wasn't a more singular vision for satisfying results.