Alien 3: Q2 Edition

I promised to review this quite a while ago, so sorry to the faneditor for the delay! As it happens, TMBTM said more or less exactly what I thought about this fanedit. The cuts are sensible and well thought out, and most of them meet with my approval. This edit combines most of the best points of the theatrical and assembly cuts of Alien3, but also tightens up the film considerably. Audio is fine and the video quality is excellent. I agree with TMBTM that more trims would be welcome, especially to the dialogue, because the film still drags a little.

This edit is certainly an improvement and well worth watching, but I cannot help but feel that more could be done with this film. It’s a solid eight out of ten from me too.

Here’s where I differ form the previews reviews. I will break my comments into two categories:

1) the edit
2) the movie

THE MOVIE:

I have tried to watch my dvd of this movie more than once and can never quite seem to get into it. I thoroughly enjoy “Alien” and “Aliens” but A3 and A4 just don’t do it for me. it was for this very reason I decided to watch this edit. A fresh take on it might be exactly what I needed.

I still just haven’t warmed up to this movie. For some unknwn (factor) reason, I just don’t really enjoy this movie. I like the edit version more than the original, though.

THE EDIT:

I agree with TMBTM, less dialogue is needed.
Video/Audio is perfect and as a result, I forgot that I was watching an edit after a while.

If you haven’t watch A3 in a while or want to see if you’d like A3, then this is a must-see edit.

I also liked it.
Even if the original Alien3 was a bit of a letdown for me (mostly for the Newt/Hicks plot, and the fact that it was not the movie I thought it should have been) I always thought it was an okay movie. The 2003 version was better, but had its problems. Like is the ox scene. I mean the scene is cool and all but two things did not work: the last shots of the alien running (a bit silly looking), and the fact that the first guy who dies is yelling at the name of the dog (that we never have seen before). Not to mention that the new alien moves more like a dog than a ox.
So I’m glad Q2 kept it in this edit.

This new version combining the goods from the 2 versions (the 2003 Gollic plot but trimmed a bit, the 1992 dog scene, the 2003 opening but trimmed a bit, the 1992 queen burst) as well as more cuts here and there works wonderfully. Q2 did not make an alternate take of this movie, it is still the Alien3 we know, only better IMO, and this is my favorite cut. The reorganization of some scenes did not feel odd at all and everything felt into place.

Technical aspect was flawless to my eyes/hears (exept maybe the frozen picture on the new opening credits. I mean it’s okay, but there is still some few seconds camera move at the very begining, then it frozes suddenly. Just some nitpicking here)

I personally would like even more cuts of dialogue. It’s a quite talkative movie. Not that talkative movies are bad! But the more the talk, the less the fear, IMO.
I also somehow missed a bit the names and pictures of Newt and Hicks on the screens at the begining. Not a big thing, but hey.
This still a very solid 8/10 from me.
An the fact you can choose between AVCHD, DVD or Xvid is awesome.

Menu:

The menus are rather plain and generic. The chapter menu is basic with only “Chapter 1″, “Chapter 2″, “Chapter 3″ etc. for the menu buttons. No little video boxes or names for the chapters.

Rating: 3/5

Audio:

The copy I have only has 2.0 audio but thunderclap has rectified that and this version now has 5.1 sound so I’m giving this an extra point. It does however lose a point because every now and then throughout the movie I’d hear the occasional crackling noise, like the kind you’d hear from an LP.

Rating: 4/5

Video:

Picture looked great. No complains.

Rating: 5/5

Editing:

No noticeable cuts. The editing was seamless.

Rating: 5/5

Entertainment:

I didn’t enjoy this any more than the original but I also didn’t like it any less. Don’t take this as a knock against thunderclap or this edit because I’m one of the few people who actually love the original film.

Rating: 5/5

Overall Rating: 9/10