Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Alien: Resurrection is the fourth installment in the Alien franchise, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Known for its strange blend of grotesque horror, dark comedy, and high-octane action, the film takes the story of Ellen Ripley in an unexpected new direction—by bringing her back to life 200 years after her death.

Detailed Summary

The Resurrection of Ripley

Two centuries after Ripley’s sacrifice in Alien 3, military scientists aboard the spaceship USM Auriga use cloning technology to bring her back. Their goal isn’t to resurrect Ripley herself but to extract the Alien Queen embryo that was inside her at the time of her death. This process, however, results in Ripley becoming a hybrid of human and xenomorph, with enhanced strength, acidic blood, and an uncanny connection to the alien hive mind.

The Arrival of the Mercenaries

A group of space mercenaries, including Annalee Call (Winona Ryder), Johner (Ron Perlman), and Christie (Gary Dourdan), arrive on the Auriga to deliver kidnapped humans. These captives are used as hosts for Alien breeding experiments. Call, however, has her own agenda—she wants to assassinate Ripley before the aliens can spread further. But upon discovering Ripley’s humanity (and the fact she’s already bonded with the aliens), her mission takes a turn.

The Alien Outbreak

As expected, the experiments go horribly wrong. The aliens—always the overachievers in breakout scenarios—escape their containment cells and begin slaughtering the crew and mercenaries. Ripley, torn between her human instincts and alien DNA, reluctantly teams up with the mercenaries to survive.

The Revelation of Call

It’s revealed that Call isn’t fully human; she’s an auton (a second-generation android) who is more compassionate and moral than her human creators. She becomes Ripley’s unexpected ally, helping her wrestle with her hybrid nature and find a sense of purpose beyond being a military experiment.

The Disturbing Birth of the Newborn

The Alien Queen, altered by Ripley’s DNA, mutates and develops the ability to give live birth instead of laying eggs. This leads to the horrifying creation of the Newborn, a grotesque hybrid creature with human-like eyes and pale, fleshy skin. The Newborn sees Ripley as its “mother” but quickly turns against the Queen and kills her, establishing Ripley as its true parent figure.

Movie Ending

In the climactic sequence, Ripley and the surviving mercenaries attempt to escape the Auriga, which is now on a collision course with Earth. During their escape, the Newborn follows them onto the ship. In one of the most disturbing scenes of the franchise, Ripley uses her hybrid blood connection to betray the creature, luring it into a window. She then kills it by smearing her acidic blood onto the glass, creating a breach that sucks the Newborn into space in a brutal, visceral death.

The survivors—Ripley, Call, Johner, and Vriess—manage to reach Earth’s orbit. For Ripley, this marks a strange new chapter. She looks out at Earth, a place she technically never belonged to as a hybrid, and reflects on what her existence means now that she’s both alien and human.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Alien: Resurrection does not have a post-credits scene. The film ends with Ripley and Call looking out at Earth, serving as its own conclusion without teasing a direct continuation.

Type of Movie

This is a sci-fi horror action film with a strong dose of body horror and dark surrealism. Unlike the claustrophobic terror of the original or the militarized thrill ride of Aliens, this entry leans into grotesque experimentation and philosophical questions of identity, while still packing plenty of gore and gunfire.

Cast

• Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley (Clone 8)
• Winona Ryder as Annalee Call
• Ron Perlman as Johner
• Dominique Pinon as Vriess
• Gary Dourdan as Christie
• Dan Hedaya as General Perez
• Brad Dourif as Dr. Gediman
• Michael Wincott as Elgyn

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by John Frizzell, who provided a dark, atmospheric soundscape blending eerie orchestration with industrial tones. The music enhances the unsettling body-horror elements while also giving the action sequences their pulse.

Filming Locations

The film was shot primarily at Fox Studios in Los Angeles. Much of the set design was practical, with heavy use of water tanks for the underwater escape sequence—one of the movie’s most logistically challenging scenes. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s European sensibilities (and use of French actors like Dominique Pinon) give the film a distinct feel, even though it was shot in Hollywood.

Awards and Nominations

The film didn’t sweep major awards, but it was nominated for several technical categories, particularly in visual effects and makeup. It also won a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress (Sigourney Weaver).

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Sigourney Weaver was initially reluctant to return but agreed after being offered $11 million and creative influence over Ripley’s new character arc.
• Weaver enjoyed playing the hybrid Ripley because it allowed her to explore a darker, more alien side.
• The underwater scene took three weeks to film and pushed actors to their limits; Winona Ryder almost drowned during shooting.
• Joss Whedon, who wrote the screenplay, later expressed disappointment in the film’s execution, claiming it didn’t capture the tone he envisioned.

Inspirations and References

• The film takes inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with its themes of rebirth, monstrosity, and scientific hubris.
• It heavily references the earlier Alien films, blending elements of horror (Alien), military sci-fi (Aliens), and prison-like settings (Alien 3).

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

• An alternate ending shows Ripley and Call landing on a devastated Paris instead of simply orbiting Earth. This darker conclusion emphasized the post-apocalyptic consequences of humanity’s obsession with the Alien species.
• Several character development scenes were trimmed for pacing, particularly more background on the mercenary crew.

Book Adaptations and Differences

There is a novelization by A.C. Crispin, which expands on the movie’s backstory, including Ripley’s struggles with her hybrid identity and more detail about Call’s status as an auton. The book also includes the Paris ending, making it bleaker than the film’s theatrical version.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• Ripley discovering her failed clone “siblings” and torching the lab in horror.
• The underwater xenomorph chase, one of the most tense sequences in the franchise.
• The grotesque birth of the Newborn, which still unsettles viewers decades later.

Iconic Quotes

• Ripley: “Who do I have to f*** to get off this boat?”
• Johner: “Earth, man. What a s***hole.”
• Ripley (to the Newborn): “I’m sorry.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The “failed Ripley clones” sequence is a visual nod to David Cronenberg’s The Fly (body horror and genetic monstrosities).
• Ripley’s basketball trick was performed by Sigourney Weaver herself—without CGI.
• Call being an auton is a callback to the franchise’s ongoing theme of androids and humanity.

Trivia

• Sigourney Weaver trained for months to perfect the basketball shot; she actually made it on set, and Ron Perlman’s shocked reaction is genuine.
• Brad Dourif (Dr. Gediman) improvised many of his creepier moments, including kissing the Alien glass.
• The film was released exactly 18 years after Alien (1979).

Why Watch?

Watch this if you’re fascinated by the evolution of the Alien franchise. It’s not the scariest or most polished entry, but it’s unapologetically weird, packed with grotesque imagery, and offers one of Sigourney Weaver’s most unusual performances. For fans of sci-fi horror, it’s a messy but fascinating ride.

Director’s Other Movies

• Amélie (2001)
• The City of Lost Children (1995)
• Delicatessen (1991)
• Micmacs (2009)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Fly (1986)
• Event Horizon (1997)
• Pandorum (2009)
• Species (1995)
• Prometheus (2012)