Blu-ray Review: Alien 3 (1992)

"The Assembly Cut makes this one a better film."
(aka A Tale of 12 Writers.)
Release Date: May 22nd, 1992.
Country: USA.
Rating: R.
Written by: Vincent Ward.
Directed by: David Fincher.
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Lance Henrisksen and Pete Postlethwaite.

This is the bastard child of the Alien series, and I say that not because it's viewed as the worst Alien movie made (that honor goes to Part 4), but because it's actually a good flick that never got a chance to shine.

David Fincher used to direct music videos, and I mean prolifically. Throughout the 80's and 90's he helmed videos for Foreigner, Sting, Paula Abdul, Madonna, Aerosmith, and the list goes on. He went on to become one of the best film directors that we have, giving us top-notch flicks like Se7en, Fight Club, The Game, Zodiac, The Social Network, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.

His first film was Alien 3.

This movie had production issues from the start. It was re-written a few times (some of the originally story arcs were cool); Siguorney Weaver said she'd do the flick, but it had to have no guns (she's like that); Renny Harlin, the original director, quit to go make Die Hard 2; the next director was fired; and when they finally got a director to stick, the "Music Video Guy" David Fincher, the film was so bastardized by studio execs by then, that the result was a movie that didn't resonate well with most people, especially said director.

So when I decided to watch the movie again to review it, I watched the 2003 Assembly Cut, which is about as close to a Director's Cut as we'll ever see, seeing as how David Fincher has pretty much disowned the movie and wants nothing to do with it.

And it was really good.

Not long after (presumably) the ending of Aliens, The Sulaco catches fire, and Ripley, Hicks, and Newt are jettisoned from the ship in an escape pod while in deep cryo-sleep. The pod crashes on a desolate planet, with Ripley being the only survivor. A guy finds her on the beach, covered in lice, and brings her back to his home.

MAN, SHE JUST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK.

His home is a prison full of rapists and murderers, and it's soon clear that the arrival of a woman is not such a great thing. Distraught at learning of Newt and Hicks' deaths, she frantically demands that they do an autopsy on Newt's body, fearing that a Xenomorph had something to do with the crash. With all the shit that she's been though, she has a right to be paranoid.

AND THE RIGHT TO SHAVE HER HEAD.

Turns out that there is an Alien on the planet, but it's not inside of Newt. It finds a host, grows up quick, and begins to make snacks out of the prisoners. Ripley, along with a few of the "good" prisoners, devise a plan to kill the thing, and they spend the rest of the movie running around trying to survive so that they can execute said plan. Ripley also spends a lot of time trying not to get raped.

Shades of the first movie ensue.

"GIVE ME A KEEEES!"

I can finally say that Alien 3 is a good movie without cringing and feeling like I'm being overly-generous.

The Assembly Cut adds 25 minutes to the move, adding some footage, getting rid of some other footage, and the end result is a better, deeper, more cohesive movie. The first act is a way better set-up, visually, and character-wise, as far as the prisoners and Ripley go; the Alien comes out of an ox instead of a dog; the creepy inmate Golic, and his demise, get way more screen time; and Ripley's final scene is different, and way less cheesy.

It's finally a cohesive movie, and one that works way better than its theatrical counterpart. Overall it plays just like first Alien movie, utilizing the stalk-and-slash thing to deliver the Horror, but it does so pretty well, and in some places, it's fantastic.

The cast here is the real standout, with brilliant actors like Charles Dance, Pete Postlethwaite, and Charles S. Dutton making their prisoner characters anything but standard. They're a treat to watch in anything, and especially so here. Sigourney Weaver is effective again as Ripley too, but that's nothing shocking.

HE LOOKS WAY TOO HAPPY HERE...

The CGI in this movie was bad. Granted, it was made in 1992, and CGI was nowhere near what it is today, but still it's distracting to watch, even given the restraints of the time.

THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN BAD GREEN SCREEN.

The way that they wrote out Hicks and Newt was cheap and completely shitty. I know there were a lot of production issues with this movie, but you don't nullify the ending of Aliens by killing the happiness of it.

Michael Biehn was pretty pissed about it, and he deserves to be.

LANCE HENRIKSEN SHOWED UP THOUGH.

This one is way bloodier than the first two, including a messy autopsy scene. 

AND A FULL-GROWN CHESTBURSTER.

Nope, but there is some sexual content, if you want to call it that.

WHO COULD RESIST HIS CHARMS?

"You've been in my life so long, I can't remember anything else."
"I gotta "re-educate" some of the brothers!"

SO PENSIVE.

If you watch the Assembly Cut, Alien 3 is a move that is closer to being the sequel that Aliens deserved. It's still not perfect, but it was tinkered and tampered with so much by idiot hands, that it never really had a chance to be. Fincher makes the best of it though, and it's a fine addition to the franchise.

It is a shame though that we'll never get to see what could have been, had they let Fincher do what he wanted to with the film.

B- (Assembly Cut only, otherwise it's probably a C-)

Alien 3 is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

They were originally going to use a dog to play the "Dog Alien." He looks thrilled, doesn't he?

Blu-ray Review: Event Horizon (1997)

"Hell in space."

(aka Do You See?)
Release Date: August 15th, 1997.
Country: USA.
Rating: R.
Written by: Philip Eisner.
Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson.
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs, and Sean Pertwee.

It's always amazed me how much critics hated this movie, and how audiences didn't respond to it at all, when it was released back in 1997. Now, a lot of critics are stodgy old bores who can never seem to truly enjoy a movie unless it's set in 14th Century England, so I don't tend to give a shit what they say about most Genre flicks, but Event Horizon is not anywhere near the piece of shit that they all made it out to be. In fact, it's one of the coolest Horror flicks to come out of the 90's, and one hell of a good time.

So screw them. 

Space, 2040: The Event Horizon, a deep exploration starship, disappears on its maiden mission to Proxima Centauri. Where did it go, you ask? Hell, but we'll get to that later.

AH, THERE SHE IS.

Space, 2047: The rescue ship Lewis and Clark is sent to Neptune to answer a distress signal, which unbeknownst to them is coming from the Event Horizon, which has suddenly reappeared out of nowhere after 7 years. The ship's creator, Dr. Weir is on board, and he's determined to find out what happened to his baby and bring her home.

DR. WEIR IS AN ASSHOLE, BY THE WAY.

When the crew of the Lewis and Clark boards the Event Horizon to get her back on-line and get some answers, it comes alive, and all hell breaks loose, literally. Like we said above, the ship went to hell (or a really hellish alternate dimension) when it disappeared, and it brought something back with it. Do you see?

Hell on Earth in space ensues.

OH YES, WE SEE.

Event Horizon is one of those movies that we loved when we first saw it in theaters back in 1997, while it seemed to be hated by everyone else. Now, that's not because we're so enlightened that we "got" what a great movie it was, and everyone else was missing the boat, but because it just spoke to us in all the right ways. And because we got it and they didn't, because "they" have shitty taste, and we don't.

Yes, it's a bit melodramatic and over-the-top in the acting department at times, and it's not very scientifically accurate, but it was a bloody, exciting ride that sucked us in and made us hungry for more.

It's packed full of bloody & gory scenes and disturbing imagery; it's got a likable cast, most of whom meet their ends in nasty ways; it's suitably creepy; the ship looks fantastic, as do the glimpses of Hell that we get; and it just doesn't ever let up on any of those things. It's a disturbing Haunted House story set in space. What's not to love about that?

PLUS, LARRY FISHBURNE. HOW AWESOME IS HE?

Did we mention that Dr. Weir was an asshole?

KILL HIM!

This movie was cut pretty heavily when it first came out due to test audiences complaining that it was too gory and violent, which makes no sense, because it's a frigging Horror movie, but I digress...

Point is that somewhere out there (supposedly) is a bunch of footage that would make for a pretty gnarly Unrated Cut, but due to the fact that the studio didn't give a shit about this movie after its poor reception, we'll probably never see it assembled into anything watchable. That's a damn shame.

WAS IT RAPE? WE MAY NEVER KNOW...

Even though a lot of it is shown in quick flashes, there's plenty of blood & gore throughout this one to keep most Gorehounds happy.

I MEAN, THAT'S A LOT OF BLOOD.

There's some nudity in this one, but it's not of the sexy variety.

POOR GIRL DIED HALF-NAKED.

Event Horizon looks pretty damned good in this 2:35:1, 1080p/AVC transfer. The special effects look a bit dated in parts, but overall this is a gorgeously shot movie with some great VFX that really shine in crisp detail on this disc. The Dolby TruHD 5.1 audio track complements the visuals perfectly, making it even more of an immersive experience than it already was.

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary with Paul W.S. Anderson
• The Making of Event Horizon (SD, 103 minutes)
• The Point of No Return (SD, 8 minutes)
• Deleted/Extended Scenes (SD, 10 minutes)
• The Unseen (SD, 7 minutes)
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2 minutes)

Overall, for under $10, this is an excellent catalogue title that should be a part of any Horror Fan's collection.

POOR BABY BIRD...

Simply put, Event Horizon is one of the best Horror movies of the 90's, and one of our favorite fright flicks set in space. It's eerie, disturbing, gory, and all kinds of exciting, and even though it's attained a bit of a cult status over the years, it's still severely underrated.

If you have yet to take a ride through space and Hell with the Event Horizon, you should rectify that omission now.

A-

Event Horizon is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

Along with its Demons, the Event Horizon was also populated with a few Angels.

Blu-ray Review: Se7en (1995)

"A 90's masterpiece."

(aka What's in the Box!)
Release Date: September 22nd, 1995.
Country: USA.
Rating: R.
Written by: Andrew Kevin Walker.
Directed by: David Fincher.
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, and Kevin Spacey.

It's hard to believe that this David Fincher classic came out 21 years ago, and it's even harder to believe that it still plays as flawlessly today as it did back then. Se7en is a timeless flick, and maybe the best Serial Killer movie that has ever been made. It's a modern day classic, plain and simple.

In a nameless city (that we're pretty sure is Seattle, because it rains all the time), and in an era that we can't quite pinpoint, Detective Somerset is just about to retire to the country, where he can live in peace and leave the cesspool of death and apathy behind. The city is a shithole, and he just can't take anymore.

"THIS CITY IS SUCH A SHITHOLE THAT IT MAKES ME CRY!"

Before he goes though, Somerset is forced to partner with the newly arrived, idealistic detective David Mills, to tackle one last case. Someone is staging some elaborate, gruesome murder scenes, that are somehow, very subtly, tied to the seven deadly sins.

THAT LOOKS SUBTLE TO US.

As Mills and Somerset work to find the killer and stop his preachy reign of terror, the murders get nastier, and they both find themselves becoming part of a larger plan, which involves them sinking deeper and deeper into the skanky mire that is the city, and probably dying.

Chilling excellence ensues.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE EITHER, BRAD.

Se7en is not only one of the best movies that we've ever seen, but it's also one of the darkest mainstream movies that has ever come out of Hollywood. It's bleak, disturbing, and the air of doom that hangs over its rainy, nameless city, and the tortured characters that inhabit it, feels absolutely genuine.

Se7en is David Fincher's 2nd film, and unlike his first effort (the unfairly maligned Alien 3), he doesn't play one false note during this one's 127-minute runtime. Not one. It's visually stunning, the pacing is perfect, the cast is impeccable, and it's as heartbreaking as it is horrifying. And we love that unlike like so many other Serial Killer movies, this one doesn't end when the killer is caught. In fact, you could argue that Fincher takes things to a new level once that reveal happens, and that new level is even darker and more disturbing than the the one that the rest of the film has operated on for the previous 90-minutes. Se7en is a compelling Mystery, and an intense Thriller, but it's really the journey the detectives go on to find a killer, and what it does to them both, that is the heart of the movie.

Fincher went on to do some excellent movies after Se7en, but as much as we love his Zodiac and Fight Club, they never quite approach this movie's level of perfection. 

CLEVER BASTARD.

Do we even need to say how great Morgan Freeman is in this one? He's an excellent actor in general, but for our money, Se7en was his finest hour. Same goes for Brad Pitt. As prolific as their careers have been, and with all of the great performances that both have given over the years, we always seem to come back to Se7en when we think of their best work. The guy who played the killer (whom we won't name here, just in case you're yet to have the pleasure of seeing this movie), isn't too shabby either.

And how can you not love R. Lee Ermey.

"THIS IS NOT EVEN MY DESK."

Just about every Serial Killer flick that has come along since Se7en was released back in 1995 has paled by comparison. This movie ruined the Serial Killer sub-genre for us! *Not really, but it did set the high bar that we're still waiting for another movie of its kind to reach, let alone surpass.

SURPASS THE BAR WE SET? LOL!

What was in the box?!?

DEEP INSIDE, WE KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE BOX. WE JUST DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT.

The crime scenes in this movie provide all kinds of twisted gore and viscera.

NOW THAT IS SOME TWISTED SHIT.

Nothing naked or sexy to see here.

ALTHOUGH BRAD PITT IS QUITE SEXY. NO HOMO.

David Fincher and his crew put a lot of effort into making Se7en the brilliant film that it is, and Warner Bros. put just as much effort into this Blu-ray transfer, which is equally brilliant. The black levels are deep and crush free, it's all kinds of grainy, and the level of detail throughout is pristine. It all looks fantastically filmic, just as it was intended to.

The 7.1 lossless audio track is equally impressive.

Special Features:

There's lots of bonus material on this disc, our favorite feature being the commentary with Fincher, Morgan Freeman, and Brad Pitt.

• Four audio commentary tracks:
  • Stars commentary, with director David Fincher and actors Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.
  • Story commentary, with Fincher, author Richard Dyer, screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, editor Richard Francis-Bruce and New Line president of production Michael De Luca.
  • Picture commentary, with Fincher, director of photography Darius Khondji, production designer Arthur Max, editor Richard Francis-Bruce and author Richard Dyer.
  • Sound commentary, with Fincher, sound designer Ren Klyce, composer Howard Shore and author Richard Dyer.
• Additional/extended scenes.
• Alternate endings.
• Exploration of the opening title sequence from multiple video angles with various audio mixes and two commentary tracks.
• Production design and still photographs with commentaries.
• The Notebooks: Full motion video details "John Doe´s" writings.
• Theatrical trailer.

I OWN THIS DIGIBOOK VERSION, BUT THE DISC INSIDE IS THE SAME NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF PACKAGING IT COMES IN.

Se7en is one of those movies that we can watch over and over again, and love at the same level each time. In our eyes, it's just about as flawless as a film can get, and it's one that needs to be in every Horror lovers collection. And Blu-ray is truly the only way to see it.

A+

Se7en is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

This is the best movie that Gwyneth Paltrow ever starred in.