Fun With Aliens A Sense Of Humor Saves The Day In Fourth Installment Of ‘Alien’ Series

Post-partum depression? You want to see post-partum depression? Well, take a gander at Sigourney Weaver, who is pretty peevish to begin with, right after she’s given birth to a man-eating slimeball in “Alien Resurrection.”

The fourth in the “Alien” series is the slimiest, the funniest and the most perverse - which is to say, bring it on! This time, a clone of Ripley (Weaver) has survived and given birth to a bunch of monstrous creatures. Scientists, who think they’ve subdued the aliens, plan to experiment with them and use them to - well, let’s just say it doesn’t matter how they plan to use them, because none of the scientists live long enough to put plan into action. Most of “Alien Resurrection” takes place on the scientists’ ship, with Weaver and a group of soldiers (played by Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman and the biceppiest bunch of men and women in movies this year) trying to kill a dozen aliens and guide the ship to safety.

In contrast to the last “Alien” movie, “Alien Resurrection” is willing to have fun with the premise. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (“Delicatessen”) is undoubtedly fascinated with creepy mutants and mucous (one creature looks like a skeleton cloaked in dripping sausage links), but the darkness is balanced by cynical humor. Jeunet’s even willing to make fun of the violent overkill that is the trademark of this series - Perlman has a scene in which, crazed by a series of alien encounters, he sees a spider in a web and blows it away, too.

But Perlman is no competition for Weaver, who continues to make Ripley the meanest, smartest, funniest badass the movies have ever known.

It’s an amazing performance, particularly when you figure that it encompasses Ripley’s touching horror when she glimpses the pain of fellow clones, her sly humor when she cracks, “No human being is that humane,” and her rage when she realizes what monstrosities the out-of-control scientists have unleashed.

That’s nominally the theme of “Alien Resurrection” - that unrestricted scientific technology is a bad thing (mutant frog for you, anyone?). And there are also hints that the movie would like to explore what it is that really makes us human. But the serious themes are mostly obscured by clever dialogue, speedy action and the mother of all gross-out sex scenes.

MEMO: Two sidebars appeared with the story: 1. “Alien Resurrection” Location: North Division, Spokane Valley Mall, Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls cinemas Credits: Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder Running time: 2:13 Rating: R

2. OTHER VIEWS Here’s what other critics say about “Alien Resurrection:” Jay Boyar/The Orlando Sentinel: The last thing I expected, as I settled back to watch “Alien Resurrection,” is that the most sympathetic character in the movie would turn out to be an alien. But - surprise! - it is. This is a daring approach, I admit. But I doubt that this coldblooded sequel will do much to resurrect the troubled series. … With all the risks it takes, “Alien Resurrection” is an honorable failure.

Ted Anthony/Associated Press: The film ends with a wrenching encounter between Ripley, who is essentially the mother of the next-generation alien, and the spawned alien half-breed. The scene is poignant and has potential, but it, too, is lost in the film’s violent nihilism. No one in “Alien Resurrection” is really human, and in the end the film itself fails at humanity. That, sadly, is almost appropriate: Given the characters and themes it examines, it could hardly have succeeded.