Kevin Wyatt
Kevin Wyatt
Many have tried and failed to repeat its success, but nothing can beat the masterpiece that is Alien. Unleashed at cinemas in 1979, the film is a flat-out classic sci-fi horror flick, using extreme moments of suspense to build up the scary scenes. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film is a ground-breaking classic that still holds up amazingly well today, and made an international superstar if Sigourney Weaver.
In Alien, the terror begins when the crew of the spaceship Nostromo are instructed to investigate a transmission from a desolate planet, as they are on their way back home to Earth. Upon their arrival, they make a horrifying discovery - a life form that attaches itself to the victims face, using it as a host before breeding inside the body. The life form then removes itself, waiting for the young it has planted inside the human victim to be born and explode through the stomach. A gruesome description indeed, which is why the film is so brilliant. The alien is now on board the spaceship after it exploded through the stomach of one of the spaceship's crew, all because the remaining crew foolishly let him back on board. It's now up to the crew to stop this alien menace, and fight not only for their own survival, but the survival of all mankind.
Sigourney Weaver stars as Ellen Ripley in her film debut role. Weaver is absolutely perfect for the role, and was practically the first girl-power type female heroine who single-handedly carries this international blockbuster right through until the final minutes. John Cane also plays Kurt to excellent effect, especially in his death scene as he frantically wriggles on the table with the alien inside him. Harry Dean Stanton is brilliant as Brett, as is Tom Skerritt as Dallas. Yaphet Kotto is also perfectly cast as Parker, who provides many on-screen laughs. Veronica Kartwright stars as the loveable Lambert, the only other female member of the crew along with Ripley. Ian Holm as Ash is absolutely brilliant in his role as the android secretly sent on board to bring back the alien life-form, while - in his eyes, and "Mother's" - all other crew members are expendable. The acting in this film is really first-rate, which is another big factor in why the film works so well.
Many scenes from Alien are classics, and are all equally scary. The first really scary scene we witness is when Kane investigates the egg in which the life-form is waiting to spring out onto his face. The noise it makes is enough to give anyone nightmares, and the deathly silence that proceeds after the event is truly eerie. The first extremely shocking scene we get is when the alien explodes from Kane's stomach. The noises it makes, and the screams of pain and terror from the crew members is most disturbing, rivalling anything previously set in horror films such as the scenes from The Exorcist. Ripley's confrontation with the robot Ash is truly terrifying. After she discovers exactly why he is on board and what the truth behind their the mission, he tries to kill her, by blocking all the exits in the spaceship. It's only when the remaining crew (those who haven't been killed off by the alien) come to her rescue that Ash reveals his true self, spinning around the room with white liquid exploding from every orifice. Before long, Ripley is the only surviving member of the crew. On her own, she proves herself to be a true action hero as she finally defeats the alien on board.
All in all, Alien is a terrific sci-fi horror movie that plays with your senses incredibly well. Nothing happens for the first 30 minutes, and that is exactly the director's intent. By doing so, a feeling of extreme suspense is instantly formed, leaving you on the edge of your seat until the very end. When you think of the film when not watching it, you'll think of the long corridors and the eerie silence that stalks them, as these are the scenes that you remember most vividly because of the suspense created.
I urge anyone who hasn't seen Alien to pick up a copy and watch it today, because you really are missing out on a landmark film that redefined the way people think of space, and the horror movie genre in general. As they say, "In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream."
If you're searching for a high speed, low drag super action thriller, search no more because "Aliens" is the film you're looking for! Even if you've not seen the first movie, "Alien" you'll still be able to enjoy this film to the fullest. That was of course by the design of the producers and this films superb director, James Cameron. Few sequels ever out do or exceed the accomplishments of their predecessors but "Aliens" can certainly be counted among those select few! With an exceptional script and an extremely talented cast, James Cameron crafted one of the best films to have ever graced the silver screen and the home theater screen.
Few films raise the blood pressure such as this one does as James Cameron and crew crafted a film that excels in all points, from intense suspense to breakneck pace in action. What's even better is that this film bears many viewings; I can't even begin to remember how many times I've watched this extraordinary film. The VHS tape I had for the film died long ago and this review is for the June of 99 DVD release that has long since completely sold out prompting the latest DVD release!
If you've watched more than one James Cameron film, you might begin to notice a bit of a recurring pattern as far as the exceptional actors that always seem to make it into his films, time after time. "Aliens" of course stars Sigourney Weaver in the role that has made her a household name and her performance for this film is extraordinary to say the least. Chief among the Cameron cronies (meant in a nice way of course) are Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen and Jenette Goldstein who all perform brilliantly in this film and can be found in many of his other exceptional films. Also of note in "Aliens" is the dramatic role for Paul Reiser, a genre he's long since abandoned for comedy but his performance is quite memorable.
Director James Cameron also wrote the script for "Aliens" along with David Giler and Walter Hill, all of which deserve all of the accolades they've received and continue to receive for their work on this incredible film. Few directors capture the imagination as he does. Of note also is James Horner, who was responsible for the score and the work he did on this film turned out to be quite exceptional, as is usual, whenever his name appears in the credits, the film is usually a huge success.
Just a note on the "Space Marines" featured in this extraordinary film, from a present day soldier's point of view. No matter what happens in the future, I seriously doubt that the Marine Corps would ever adopt wearing US Army rank insignia on their uniforms. I'm sure that many a present day Marines has had their feathers rustled a bit upon noticing this minor error in costume design.
The Premise:
It is nearly sixty years after the conclusion of "Alien," Ripley and Jonesy the cat are still quite happily sleeping away in their cryo-freeze compartment aboard the shuttle after sending the first alien out the airlock. The film opens with a salvage crew opening up the shuttle and finding her and the cat! After she's awoken, she learns that she's been floating around for fifty seven years and the company she works for is none to sympathetic to her cause, basically blackballing her. Unbeknownst to her, the "company" sends someone out to investigate her story and not too long thereafter nobody from the planetoid is heard from again. This of course prompts the company to send the space marines and Ripley as an advisor to find out what happened to the terraformers...
What follows from there is one of the best and most intense Sci-Fi action/thrillers to have ever been made and I would highly recommend this film to any and all who are fans of films in this genre!
This review is for the June of 99 DVD release. I found that the THX and 5.1 Surround worked quite well for this film. The seventeen minutes of the restored footage for this film is quite seamlessly added to film and serves extremely well in enhancing the experience of this movie.
With reference to the latest release, I would definitely recommend that version if you don't already have a copy, especially if you're into a lot of the Special Features. While the version I'm reviewing today seems a bit sparse in the special features area, the new release appears to be replete with them, making it a very wise purchase.
Lol thought i gave long reviews look at the guy above
Chrissy Boi
GREAT MOVIE, probally the best in the series, just because hudson lol just kidding, added more humour and you couyld almost relate to the people if you were put in the future, the action and the big no. difference in aliens comapred to Alien was great, gave that outnumbered why fight lets just die feeling lol, great movie and gets a 5/5 from me.
GET AWAY FROM HER YOU BITCH haha classic.
There will never be a greater movie than Aliens... this time, it's war!
Iron Maiden
This is the best movie ever. I guess you want 2 hear why its the best? well because Hudson is so damn funny, Ripley is so badass, and Hicks is so goddamn amazing. This is the best movie ever. If u haven't watched this movie yet.... THEN WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!