Sunday, February 7, 2010

Review: Aliens - A sci-fi/action masterpiece

Terrific sequel that is the perfect follow-up to Ridley Scott's 1979 original Alien. This time James Cameron (The Terminator) takes over and creates one of the best films ever made. Set 57 years after the events of the first film, sole survivor Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver's best performance ever) is picked up floating adrift in space in suspended animation. She is taken back to Earth and has to explain what happened to her crew-mates and the very expensive ship that she blew up. Of course no one believes her story of an alien that killed her mates and almost got her too. And the planet where they picked up the creature is now populated by engineers and their families. But suddenly when all communication is lost, a team of US Colonial Marines are dispatched to investigate. Ripley reluctantly goes along as an advisor. The setup is perfect and soon the marines are under full assault by a planet full of aliens. There is only one survivor there on the planet, a little girl named Newt, who quickly bonds with Ripley. The action scenes are impressive, some of the best you will ever see. With a strong cast alongside Weaver that includes Michael Biehn as Corporal Hicks, Bill Paxton as the hilarious Hudson, Lance Henriksen as the android Bishop, Paul Reiser as slimy company man Drake, and of course Jenette Goldstein as Vasquez. Director James Cameron manages to top the original Alien with this well crafted story driven sci-fi action/horror film. One of my favorite films of all time.
A

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Ripley: Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?
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Ripley: These people are here to protect you. They're soldiers.
Newt: It won't make any difference

1 comment:

ClassicBecky said...

LOVE this movie! One of the few sequels that did justice to the original. It was exciting, had characters you really cared about, kept you on the edge of your seat just like the first Alien -- great stuff! Now you've made me want to get out my copy of both and have an Alien night -- LOL! I think I really will...