Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Directed by: Jean Pierre-Jeunet
Written by: Joss Whedon
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Michael Wincott, Dan Hedaya, J.E Freeman, Brad Dourif, Marlene Bush, Carolyn Campbell, David St James, Raymond Cruz, Kim Flowers, Gary Dourdan, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Leland Orser.
Notable universe developments: The cloning of Ripley gives rise to an unprecedented evolutionary leap for the Xenomorph.
200 years later, in 2379, the USM Auriga travels through space containing a military scientific facility. On board is a clone of Ellen Ripley – created from samples of her blood extracted on Fiorina 161, before her death. During the cloning process, DNA from the Alien Queen is added to that of Ripley, causing the clone to grow with an alien embryo already inside her. The military remove the embryo, raise it in captivity and collect the eggs it produces. The cloned Ripley is then retained for study. While she shares some of Ripley’s memories, she also has enhanced strength, corrosive blood and a psychic connection to the Xenomorphs. She has a growing understanding of what the scientists have done and notes that she’s tattooed with the number ‘8.’
The Betty docks with the Auriga, a mercenary ship of space pirates who kidnap other space crews while they’re still in stasis and deliver them to be used as incubators for the aliens bred by the military. The crew of the Betty are led by Frank Elgyn (Michael Wincott) and the group consists of Johner (Ron Perlman), Call (Winona Ryder), Christie (Gary Dourdan), Hillard (Kim Flowers), and Vriess (Dominique Pinon). As they move around the Auriga, they encounter Ripley playing basketball, and a number of the male crew members try to engage with her. She quickly demonstrates both her superior strength and her corrosive blood.
Later, Call gains access to Ripley’s containment unit and attempts to kill her – but is unable to. She tells Ripley that she can see that the doctors have already removed the embryo, and that Ripley is simply a clone – something that Ripley does not enjoy hearing. Call is then taken into custody by Dr. Wren (J.E. Freeman), who leads this barbaric medical facility. As Wren begins to insist that the crew of the Betty be executed for terrorism, the aliens being trained by another scientist begin to revolt. They snatch him and two of them the aliens then turn on a third and kill it, so as to use its corrosive blood to break out of their containment unit. Ripley also escapes from her cell, and the crew of the Betty escape from their captors as Auriga personnel start to flee in the ship’s pods. Betty captain Elgyn is killed by the aliens.
Ripley and the crew of the Betty must make their way across the Auriga to return to their own ship. Along the way, Ripley discovers that the Auriga is actually travelling toward Earth. She also discovers the seven previous Ripley clones created by the scientists – all of which have suffered horrific mutations, and one of which is being kept alive, though she begs for death. Ripley destroys them all with a flamethrower and grenades. Then, they discover that one of the crew they delivered in stasis – Purvis (Leland Orser) – is still alive, and incubating an alien embryo. Call insists they rescue him by putting him in stasis until the embryo can be surgically removed elsewhere.
The group encounter numerous obstacles on their way through the ship, and at one point, Dr. Wren shoots Call in the chest. This reveals the fact that Call is actually an android – part of a new generation that were so human-like, they rejected their programming and rebelled. Knowing that the alien species posed a lethal threat to the human race, Call sought to kill the Ripley clone to prevent the science experiment making it back to Earth. Ripley uses Call’s android functions to access the computer of the Auriga, and uncovers the extent of the ongoing bioweapon plan.
Ripley is briefly taken by the aliens to their nest, where she connects with the new Alien Queen. As a result of the experimentation, this creature has developed a womb and gives birth to a Xenomorph with much more human characteristics. The newborn alien kills the Alien Queen and regards Ripley as its mother. While the creature is distracted, Ripley escapes the nest and makes it to the Betty, just in time. Ripley must pilot the ship, since the crew has been killed, and while they’re in transit, they find that the newborn alien is on board. Ripley finds it cornering Call and cuts her own hand so as to flick a drop of blood onto the ship window. As the window slowly dissolves, the young alien is gradually, and painfully sucked out into space.
Ripley and Call watch from the Betty as the Auriga crashes onto Earth. As they move through Earth’s atmosphere themselves, they watch through the window as clouds and sunshine come into view.
