I don't really enjoy horror as a genre. For the most part I find it an overly sex-saturated genre, and an overly violent and soulless one. Most horror films are extremely violent to the point of gross, not very good, and filled with terrible acting. Rarely do they achieve cinematic greatness. However, one movie that was always respected as a solid piece of filmmaking was the 1979 horror film 'Alien.' Being a scifi fan in general, I was always intreagued but since the film was rated R, I didn't have the chance for several years to watch it, and finding it on TV was a challenge. But held in even higher regard was its sequel, made during the highpoint of horror and often considered a highpoint in filmmaking in general: the 1980's. Ladies and gentlemen, the next movie on our list: Aliens!
The Plot: It has been 57 years since the Nostromo was destroyed, and Ellen Ripley has just been found alive drifting in space. Despite her insistence, the story of her encounters is met with great skepticism. Her life goes in a downward spiral as she loses her livelihood and her nights are filled with horrific images. But when communication is lost from the colony on LV 246, she is requested to accompany a squad of Colonial Marines down to the surface..and when they arrive, they find things are even worse than they could have imagined...
Cast: Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley
Michael Beihn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks
Jennette Goldstein as Private Jennete Vasquez
Carrie Henn as Newt
Lance Henrikson as Bishop
William Hope as Lieutenant William Gorman
Bill Paxton as Private William Hudson
Paul Reiser as Carter Burke
The Review: Well, the opening scene is a gorgeous one. A beautiful view of space, and quite an odd one seeing as the film is a pretty ugly universe.
The special effects, sets, miniatures, and technology of the film are all brilliantly detailed. No CGI here, just pure imagination and skill used to bring it to life. Just about everything in the film looks excellent.
Ripley's nightmare scene is an intense reminder of what the series is at its core. No matter what, Alien will always be horror.
The world of Aliens is grim, cold and gloomy, but also a believable one. If we were ever to travel through space, five bucks it'd be a whole lot like this.
Ripley's struggle with PTSD are disturbingly realistic. Come to think of it, this movie coverong such a disorder might've been a first for media.
The Alien franchise shows just how space travel will be in the future, if it ever comes to that: horrible. I'll stay on Earth, thank you, it just looks too realistic.
Have I ever mentioned I love the US military? Yeah, I really do. Have I mentioned I loved military humor? Combine the two and I get a double winner. this movie reeks of military style.
How many iconic lines does this movie have? Quite a few. Hudson's "Game over, man! Game Over!" might be the most famous, but there are plenty of others.
The acting is good, remarkably good, actually. A few key members of the cast of the 1984 film Terminator would have roles in this film, and more than one (the most well-known being Sigourney Weaver) would be staples of James Cameron's filmmaking work.
Speaking of staples, the Colonial Marine tech is something I've seen in theaters before. Take a look at some of the machines, namely the Loader and the Dropship. Now take a look at the Walkers and Dropships in Avatar. They're almost exactly the same.
I personally, along with millions and millions of others, owe this film a debt of gratitude. The Space Marine genre would begin with this film, a genre that would be defined decades later by the popular gaming series Halo. Thank you Aliens, for bringing us Master Chief.
I don't like James Cameron much. I think he's a snobby, elitist, liberal dirtbag. But there's no denying it: back in the 80's he was friggin' good, and this is his best film by far.
James Horner, the man who scored the film, was better earlier on in his career, same as Cameron. His work is creepy and adds to the scary atmosphere of the film.
The plot of the film is excellent in every way. From the overall plot to the subtle layers of smaller plot points, the story feels strong and cohesive.
I must give special mention to Sigourney Weaver, as her acting in this film is pure brilliance. From the intensity of a warrior, to the fearful looks of a struggling woman to the tenderness of a mother figure, I would easily declared Weaver one of the best actresses of all time.
The environments are detailed, gritty, and scary. Not to mention unfriendly as can be. These places are frightening and places I would never dare tread.
The sequences with the Aliens themselves are exciting as they are terrifying. It's different action than what is around today, but very fun to watch.
The relationship between Newt and Ripley is admirable, and the redeeming factor for the film morality-wise. Horror can be a pretty heartless genre, so it's nice to see something that goes against the typical grain.
Facehuggers, no matter what, shall always be freaky. An icon of horror and fear they will remain until the world ends.
And, I just gotta say: The Alien Queen is just plain nasty!
The final sequence and the fight between Ripley and the Queen is the most iconic scene in the movie, and a very exciting conclusion to the film. A very violent, but very fun finale.
The Bottom Line: Holy cow this was fun! Creepy, exciting, funny all in one film. Aliens is a thoroughly entertaining ride and an iconic one, as it showed how subtle changes in a horror film's style can give it a greater variety, as well as essentially spawning an entirely new genre of films. However, it IS rated 'R' for a reason, so be careful of who's around when you watch it. Unlike my earlier review of 'Akira," I can recommend this film, as I feel it has more obvious redeeming aspects than 'Akira' does and presents them more effectively. So please, feel free to enjoy. And feel free to freak out when an Alien scares the living daylights out of you.
Well, that's it for this round. Adios, see you on Wednesday with another great movie!
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