Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Alien: Resurrection is the fourth installment in the main Alien film series. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and released in 1997, the movie revives the franchise after the controversial ending of Alien 3. The film brings back Ellen Ripley through cloning and introduces a darker, bioengineered twist on the Xenomorph mythos. Set 200 years in the future, it explores themes of identity, scientific ethics, and the consequences of genetic manipulation.
This entry is notable for blending horror, action, and dark comedy, as well as for showcasing a radically different Ripley—both emotionally and biologically changed due to Xenomorph DNA.
Release Information
- Release Date: November 26, 1997 (USA)
- Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
- Producers: Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill, Bill Badalato
- Studio: 20th Century Fox
- Runtime: 109 minutes
- Rating: R
- Budget: $70 million
- Box Office: $161.3 million (worldwide)
Synopsis
Two centuries after Ripley’s death on Fiorina 161, a group of United Systems Military scientists onboard the research vessel USM Auriga successfully clone her using DNA recovered from the prison planet. The result is Ripley 8, a hybrid of human and Xenomorph, who possesses enhanced strength, acidic blood, and a psychic connection to the alien creatures.
Using the Xenomorph embryo inside Ripley, the scientists breed a new generation of Xenomorphs for military use. However, the aliens escape containment and wreak havoc on the ship. Ripley reluctantly allies herself with a ragtag crew of smugglers and mercenaries to stop the aliens from reaching Earth.
As they fight their way through the infested ship, Ripley must confront her own identity, her connection to the Xenomorphs, and the grotesque creature known as the Newborn, a monstrous offspring of the cloned Queen Xenomorph and Ripley’s corrupted DNA.
Main Cast
- Sigourney Weaver as Ripley 8
- Winona Ryder as Annalee Call
- Ron Perlman as Johner
- Dominique Pinon as Vriess
- Michael Wincott as Elgyn
- Kim Flowers as Hillard
- Gary Dourdan as Christie
- Dan Hedaya as General Perez
- Brad Dourif as Dr. Jonathan Gediman
- J. E. Freeman as Dr. Wren
Characters
- Ripley 8: A clone of Ellen Ripley with alien DNA. She is both human and Xenomorph, struggling with her identity and instincts. Unlike the original Ripley, she exhibits a more cold, animalistic demeanor and shares a psychic link with the aliens.
- Annalee Call: A member of the mercenary crew who is later revealed to be an advanced synthetic created by a rogue AI faction. Call is emotionally driven and fiercely moral, forming a bond with Ripley.
- The Betty Crew: A group of mercenaries hired to deliver human hosts for the Xenomorph breeding program. While morally ambiguous, they ultimately join Ripley in fighting against the alien outbreak.
- USM Scientists: Led by Dr. Wren and Dr. Gediman, they conduct unethical experiments in an effort to militarize the Xenomorphs. Their hubris leads to the Auriga's downfall.
Xenomorphs and the Newborn
The Xenomorphs in Alien: Resurrection are more intelligent, aggressive, and capable of strategic escape—highlighted in a scene where one kills another to use its acidic blood as a means to breach containment.
The film also introduces the grotesque and tragic Newborn—a hybrid creature born from the cloned Queen, which inherited human reproductive traits. It views Ripley as its "mother" and murders the Queen in a symbolic act of rejection.
Production
Alien: Resurrection was filmed at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, featuring elaborate sets for the USM Auriga and impressive practical creature effects. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, known for his surreal visual style (Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children), brought a distinctive look to the film.
The screenplay was written by Joss Whedon, though many elements—especially tone and dialogue delivery—were altered during production. Whedon later criticized the execution, stating that while his dialogue was used, the direction and acting changed the intent significantly.
Creature effects were handled by ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.), continuing their work from Alien 3. The Newborn was created as a full-body animatronic and remains one of the most disturbing designs in the franchise.
Themes
- **Cloning and Identity**: Ripley 8’s struggle as both a product and victim of science.
- **Biological Weaponization**: The military’s obsession with using Xenomorphs for combat.
- **Motherhood and Mutation**: Ripley’s twisted relationship with the Queen and Newborn.
- **Transhumanism**: Call’s role as a synthetic designed by machines to protect humanity.
Reception
Critics gave Alien: Resurrection mixed-to-negative reviews. Sigourney Weaver’s performance and the film's visual style were praised, but its tonal inconsistency and deviation from the franchise’s suspenseful roots were criticized.
Rotten Tomatoes score: **54%** Metacritic score: **63/100** CinemaScore: **C**
Legacy
Despite its flaws, the film gained a cult following over time. It was the last mainline entry in the Alien franchise for over a decade and marked the end of the original Ripley saga.
The concepts of cloning and hybridization introduced in the film would influence later media, including:
- The Aliens vs. Predator comics and games
- Lore in the Alien: Isolation and Aliens: Fireteam Elite video games
- Expanded universe novels
Alien: Resurrection also marked a turning point for the franchise, paving the way for crossover films like AVP: Alien vs. Predator and the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.