A far more action orientated film then the first one, and no better or worse for it. Just as good a ride as the first.

Seven years after barely surviving events on board the Nostromo in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror ALIEN, Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Warrant Officer Ripley for one of the most compelling and critically-acclaimed sequels of all time. When...
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Seven years after barely surviving events on board the Nostromo in Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror ALIEN, Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Warrant Officer Ripley for one of the most compelling and critically-acclaimed sequels of all time. When Ripley is rescued from drifting aimlessly through deep space, she is horrified to learn that not only has she been asleep for 57 years, but the planet on which she had encountered the original alien all that time ago has since been colonized. At first no-one will heed her warnings or completely believe the story she gives at an official enquiry as to what happened to her and her fellow Nostromo crew members. But then contact is lost with LV-426, and despite initially throwing Ripley "to the wolves" (as she herself puts in), The Company, through representative Carter J. Burke (Paul Reiser), suddenly finds itself in a position of having to ask Ripley for help, finally persuading her to return to the planet that still consumes her every nightmare, as an advisor to a motley group of very tough colonial marines expecting this to be just another run-of-the-mill "bug-hunt". But how wrong that assumption turns out to be!

I believe that Aliens far surpasses its celebrated predecessor in almost every aspect. Obviously the sheer spectacle of what is basically a Vietnam war movie in space is particularly awe-inspiring - the impressive sets, the many excitingly-staged combat sequences, the aliens themselves. Part of what makes the monsters so effective is that we're not told too much about them. We only get glimpses into their physiology's, their behavioral patterns and their intelligence. James Cameron gives us just enough to become wrapped up in the film, but not so much that we become overly familiar with the aliens, or start to question the logic behind the film. He also smartly carries over some devices from the first film that were abandoned to an extent, such as the acidic blood of the aliens, and he supplies answers to the few questions that the first film raised, such as why the blood doesn't corrode instruments and objects when a dead alien is examined.

The best performance of the movie is easily that given by Sigourney Weaver. The fact that in 1987 a performance in a sci-fi/action movie should be nominated for an Oscar is testament enough to the quality of her acting. The mother-daughter bond that grows between Ripley and Newt is central to the movie, and one that allows Weaver to develop her character even further. Of course Cameron cannot resist mirroring this with the maternal instincts of the Alien Queen. These themes of motherhood and the nature of the difference between the two species are continued in the next two movies, although never as subtly. Cameron fashioned Aliens into a grand arc where Ripley's actions at the end of the film have much more meaning as she's not only fighting monsters, but also fighting to retain a semblance of something she lost due to her 57-year hyper sleep. As in the first film, she is still the most intelligent, courageous and resourceful member of the crew, but she has much more colorful company.

Amongst the talented supporting players are Cameron regulars Michael Biehn (THE TERMINATOR, THE ABYSS) and Bill Paxton (bit part in THE TERMINATOR, TRUE LIES, TITANIC). Both Bill Paxton and Lance Henriksen turn in wonderfully over-the-top performances, at their diametrically opposed ends of the emotional spectrum - Paxton as the spastic surfer/redneck and Henriksen as the intense, moody sage, with a surprising reality and an even more surprising conscience to go along with it. We also get a cigar-chomping Sergeant, a crazy, butch Private, and a complex, pensive Corporal as main characters, and a mysterious, bright young girl (played in a terrific performance by Carrie Henn). Much of the center section of the film hinges on the interrelationships of these characters, despite the action trappings going on around them.

Nominated for 7 Oscars, the film went on to win for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Effects Editing. Further, almost inevitable sequels followed in 1992 and 1997, but I prefer to think of the terrifying perils of Ellen Ripley as ending on this high note. Cameron carries over the crypt/labyrinth motif of the first film, and adds a metaphorical descent into the bowels of hell in the climax. The action throughout is suspenseful. Cameron is able to clearly convey the logistics of very complex sets, so that viewers remain on the edges of their seats. Everything about this movie is sheer ****and it is rightly considered one of the best of its type ever made. If you don't like this movie then the problem is your taste in films, not the film itself. If you have not seen it, not only am I surprised, I recommend you do so when you're in the mood to have a roller-coaster ride but Blackpool is too far away.

ALIENS

Aliens, the 1986 sequel to 1979’s Alien does what The Dark Knight did to its successor. The core experience remains relevant, but the rest moves into slightly new and exciting territory. The horror is still there, but...
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ALIENS

Aliens, the 1986 sequel to 1979’s Alien does what The Dark Knight did to its successor. The core experience remains relevant, but the rest moves into slightly new and exciting territory. The horror is still there, but it is more of an addition than the point. Most of the movie’s thrills are from the action sequences, which consist of Aliens coming out of ventilation shafts, breaking doors, smashing the floor open, and even approaching an elevator wanting to say “Hold that door!� Much of the movie is held together by action and a seemingly perpetual intensity (once you reach the stowaway, which is about halfway in). It is accompanied by a slightly intricate plot, which keeps the movie going forward all 137 minutes.

Aliens starts with Ellen Ripley’s ship drifting in space. It is then recovered by another ship, and she (as well as her cat Jones) is found alive. She awakens in an orbiting hospital above Earth, where she is told that she was in hibernation for 57 years. Ripley then learns that there is a colony on LV-426, where she and her crew first discovered the Aliens. Earth has lost contact with the colony, which results in a unit of hotshot Colonial Marines (which includes Private “Game over!� Hudson and the ever tough Vasquez) being sent to investigate. Carter Burke, who works for Weyland-Yutani (Ripley’s employer) is also going. He and Lt. Gorman convince Ripley to come as a consultant. When they reach LV-426, the colony is found empty, except for one resourceful little girl known as Newt.

For the amount of time setting up the plot, the movie does surprisingly well. At almost two hours and twenty minutes, the pre-LV-426 section is less than half an hour, while the rest is guns, aliens, explosions, and more aliens. It is surprising how well this holds, since the action sequences could have easily been like a playlist on repeat. What keeps these from getting old is the acting and special effects. The animatronics would still be impressive today, while the computer generated ones…To some degree. There is a scene where I do find it hard to tell where a loader is real or not, a goal that is rarely achieved today. On the acting hand, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley is a caring, conflicted, and ultimately awesome heroine. Whenever she is in a scene (which is pretty much every scene) she takes command in such a way that the other actors almost have to tap her on the shoulder saying “When is it my turn?� The screenplay does compensate, allowing the other roles to shine, no matter how simplistic they are. The writers created some great lines, such as Ripley’s memorable “Get away from her, you **** and the already mentioned “Game over man! Game over!�

The few flaws that appear in Aliens do not make much of a ripple, but are easy to find if you look. The first is minor acting and voice work. The time when it is bad is in slower parts, which aren’t as crucial to the movie as the action is. Sometimes the marines’ hotshotness seems like too much, or the military commanding is getting soft. Thankfully this doesn’t happen often. A more passive screw-up is a slightly predictable air. Thinking time is usually needed for such a trait, but there is not much of that. These flaws are easily covered, since the rest of the movie is so cool.

Aliens achieves a lot of great things, among them are classic lines, great special effects, and a steadily growing intensity that disappears but comes back hard. It’s not as iconic as Alien, but does justice while entertaining. The scares are not as plentiful as the first, yet the overall “charm� is. Aliens does a great job continuing the story arc. It does what a sequel should do and more, resulting in a great thrill ride.

4.5/5

Best Film In the Alein Saga. Action, suspense and Horror. A great achievement and a great new approch to the alien universe. James Cameron's Star Film.