Ripley: I dunno how you managed to stay alive, but you're one brave kid, Rebecca.
Newt: [whispers] N... Newt...
Ripley: What?
Newt: Newt. My name's Newt. Nobody calls me Rebecca except my brother.
There are films in everyone's life that, long after being watched for the first time, call for a second viewing, especially for a regular movie viewer like me. Months after watching "Alien" and "Aliens" (and after being let down by the last two sequels), my growing desire to watch the films again was fulfilled. First, "Alien" was re-released in a new director's cut, and the impact was so much greater that it went from 4.5 stars to a 5, and has now guaranteed an even higher spot on my top 100 list. However, it was its sequel, "Aliens", that I had been even hungrier to watch again. Also scheduled for a director's cut release, the film's DVD had long eluded me because of the new quadrilogy coming soon. Thankfully, I received both of the initial DVD releases of "Alien" and "Aliens" for my birthday, and was at long last able to watch the Special Edition of this film. While the new footage is fantastic, I still had the same feeling I had when it was 17 minutes shorter: disturbed and exhausted by the wild ride, yet satisfied and gladdened once the survivors had made it away safely. Why, for a summer film, "Aliens" is a movie that, for some reasons unknown, just seems to "have it all".
Very much unlike the majority of sequels, "Aliens" isn't a film that tries to copy the first film's success and throw it out for some cash. Seven years after "Alien" hit theaters, it boldly expanded the series and the alien species. James Cameron, who also directed another sequel that surpassed its predecessor ("Terminator 2"), doesn't try to wholly match Ridley Scott's dark suspense, even though he does provide plenty. Instead, he makes this film as much an action flick as his breakthrough picture, "The Terminator". While there are certain similarities between the two, I find "Aliens" to be the superior movie. Here, Cameron's direction is better and more established (not to say that there's anything amateurish about "The Terminator", which also helped me become a Cameron fan). In comparison to "Alien", "Aliens" is also the better film, even though some may see it as simply an action film that's unworthy of comparison to the first, and I'd agree. "Alien" is great because of the establishment of its concept and the mystery of the alien, while this movie is great because of the outbreak and expansion in knowledge of the species. While it is hard to compare two 5-star movies, this one is most certainly the greatest, and is and shall always be the best in the "Alien" series.
The great story for "Aliens" obviously picks up where the first left off...57 years later. During this time, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) has drifted aimlessly through space with her cat Jones on the escape ship Narcissus (she doesn't look any different, however). In the first film, she had blown the alien that killed her crewmates out of the Narcissus's airlock, but not before blowing up the mining ship Nostromo in an attempt to kill it before that. She's rescued by a salvage ship, but despite her fortune (her recovery and survival were a 1 in a million chance) she's suspended by the company Weyland-Yutani, who owned Nostromo, and loses her piloting license. Worse yet, she has nightmares every single night that leave her wide awake with her sheets drenched in sweat. She tries desperately to get her story across to the Weyland-Yutani executives, but the price tag on the Nostromo and a lack of evidence of the alien don't help out (the description is "a creature that gestates inside a living human host, and has concentrated acid for blood"). Either way, the alien planet, LV-426, has been colonized for over twenty years, and the company doesn't show a shred of concern.
Not much later, Ripley gets word from a company executive named Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) that contact with the LV-426 colony has been lost. "It might be just a downed transmitter." Says Burke, and to find out a platoon of high-tech Marines has been hired to investigate. Burke tries to persuade Ripley to accompany them as an advisor, but she's not convinced. "You guys throw me to the wolves, and now you want me to go back out there?" she retorts. Shortly after her dismissal of the proposition, Ripley wakes up from yet another nightmare. She gets out of bed and calls up Burke to confirm the mission.
"Just tell me one thing, Burke. You're going out there to destroy them, right? Not to study. Not to bring back. But to wipe them out."
"That's the plan. You have my word on it."
With that settled, Ripley joins the crew onboard the ship Sulaco (which looks like a giant shotgun) to head down to LV-426. When these Marines are introduced, they don't seem to be that atypical. They're grunts, a title that they proudly bear, who don't let anything daunt them. The leader of the platoon is Lt. Gorman (William Hope), a well trained but nervous man who's done over 30 simulated missions but only one previous real one. On foot their commander is Sgt. Apone (Al Matthews), who adores life in the corps. "A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm," he says "Every meal's a banquet, every paycheck a fortune, every formation a parade."
There are a number of troops, but only a few stand out. Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) is a tough, bronzed over Hispanic woman who shows more sass and grit than most of the men. Hudson (Bill Paxton) is a sarcastic guy who hardly takes his mission seriously. Hicks (Michael Biehn, in a role much like his one in "Terminator") is the more quiet and reserved type, and not as boisterous as the others. Also onboard are Burke and an android named Bishop (Lance Henriksen), who instantly meets Ripley's disapproval (Ash, the android from the previous film, nearly killed her).
Upon arriving at the colony, the Marines don't find anyone or anything except for a young girl named Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Carrie Henn), who has survived by hiding in the air ducts. The super sweet and adorable Newt awakens some maternal instincts in Ripley (who, as we learn earlier, had a daughter that passed away), which are so overwhelming that Newt's safety becomes just as important as surviving, which itself is difficult once the aliens finally strike. When they do, it's mayhem: two thirds of the Marine squad is picked off, and the escape ship is crashed. Now the small group of survivors must fight with their remaining supplies and whatever can be made of the resources in the abandoned colony, any part of which the aliens could be lurking in until a way is found off the planet and the entire site is nuked. Sadly, it doesn't come that easy.
"Aliens" is the kind of film that is so intense and so merciless that the effect it has on your stomach is equivalent to that of too much candy mixed with a roller coaster. Surprisingly, it doesn't strike as soon as the Marines enter the colony. It builds your curiosity instead, hinting at what is to come. After the setup and some character development, then everything blows up and the wild ride really begins, but even then the thrills are genuine and white-knuckle. The entertainment value is extremely high, but the film is also kind of disturbing. During some of the most chilling scenes, James Horner's score gives the viewer an uneasy sense, much like the film. Contemplation of some of the more hidden parts (like the disappearance of the colonists) still gives me a bad feeling, yet it never hinders the overall enjoyment level, and the desire to watch this film is near impossible to curb.
The genres of science fiction and fantasy today have become too easily dismissed, perhaps because both are often seen as too "geeky" or unrealistic. "Aliens", "Alien", the "Star Wars" trilogy, "Blade Runner", "Terminator", "2001", "Minority Report", and the recent "Lord of the Rings" films are what I would cite as examples to prove why such a discrimination is not true. To say the least, there are probably less than a handful of films that match the style and atmosphere of this movie, and it is one film I'd consider for a "coolest movies" list. If you do indeed feel too "cool" to watch this because of it being sci-fi, then you're perhaps even lamer than Barney and Power Rangers combined (come to think of it, that's even more disturbing than "Aliens" altogether).
"Aliens" is not the first movie to feature slimy bugs running around and killing people, but the species here has plenty of distinction. The aliens sort of operate like a beehive or an ant colony, with drones and warriors running around and retrieving food (or, in this case, human hosts) to return to the hive for the queen. The queen lays eggs containing "facehuggers", which latch on to the host's face and plant an alien embryo in their stomach and...well, there's only one way out. To the surprise of the Marines, the creatures aren't just ruthless killing machines. For one, they know how to cut the power, and the queen can operate the elevator. "How did they cut the power man? They're animals!" screams Hudson. Not quite. These aliens are unpredictable, and while they seem limitless, Cameron doesn't just have them attacking at every second. At times, he kind of uses the "bomb under the table" effect, especially thanks to the tracking devices used by the Marines to find any life. While the trackers fail to pick up any aliens for some time, their presence is perfectly hinted at by showing places where their acid blood has eaten through the floor and where the colonists appeared to make their last stand. It's like "Jaws", when you knew that when you saw the barrels floating above the surface, the shark was there too. Here, when the trackers detect countless signs of movement, you know who's coming.
The Academy Awards have always had a tendency to snub sci-fi films, or just about anything that isn't real ("Lord of the Rings", great as it is, isn't bound to win more than some mere Best Effects or Sound award just so as long as a film like "The Hours" exists). In 1986, however, the Academy suddenly seemed to click not only by rightfully giving "Platoon" Best Picture: it also gave "Aliens" seven nods, none of which are as significant as Sigourney Weaver's Best Actress nomination. Weaver, who rose perfectly as the hero toward the end of the first film, is not only at her absolute best in "Aliens". She also plays what could be the strongest female character in movie history (it's not a guarantee, but there aren't many other challengers). I may be a guy, but for me Ripley is a character like no other. As I mentioned in my "Alien" review, she always seems to be shouldered out, this time by the brawny Marines corps. When the situation gets worse, she steps in and plays the hero, and hits all the right notes. For sure, this series would have no chemistry if it weren't for her.
One noticeable reason why this film's standard won't be matched is because of the unique relationship between Newt and Ripley. Carrie Henn (in the only role of her career) gives the film some much needed heart, and is so sweet you'd need a bulletproof vest to keep her charm from reaching you. Action films today can blow up and kill as much as they want, but how many times do they feature a relationship that actually has some heart to it? My thoughts exactly.
There are currently two versions of this film available for rent, with the 137-minute version on VHS and the 2 hour, 34 minute Special Edition on both formats. While the original theatrical release is available, the Special Edition DVD has gone out of print. If you do manage to get your hands on a copy, you shall not be disappointed. Not only is the treatment great, but the new scenes are excellent as well. The restored footage includes Burke and Ripley discussing her daughter's death, new scenes with the colonists and Newt's family finding the derelict spacecraft, some interior shots of the Sulaco, a new segment with the crew setting up some sentry guns, and Hicks and Ripley exchanging first names. Even without this footage, the movie is still a 5-star winner, but with a film this great it's probably better to add than remove.
11 years after "Aliens" embraced the screen, Jean-Pierre Jeunet attempted to bring back the formula in "Alien: Resurrection", which, while considerably better than most people have made it out to be, was still a failure because of its minimal scare value. The problem in that film was that Jeunet seemed to just put the aliens out in the open, with no adjoining atmosphere and little suspense. He still brought back the guns and the queen, but they didn't help. James Cameron, on the other hand, kept the action even and used perfect timing and suspense in his presentation of the creatures. As for "Alien 3", well, just pretend it never happened.
Even with Sigourney Weaver at her pinnacle and the loveable Carrie Henn at her side, the cast's greatness doesn't end with them. Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Michael Biehn, and Paul Reiser make a solid supporting cast, with Paxton being the funniest and Goldstein being the most rock solid. Don't be surprised if Paxton's Hudson leaves you in stitches with his lines, and Goldstein's Vasquez is second only to Ripley herself. Michael Biehn, meanwhile, is no different from his Kyle Reese character in "The Terminator". He's not quite macho, but rises to the occasion when needed. Reiser is a bit of an odd pick, but I wouldn't quite regard him as miscast (personally, I've always seen the alien species as the villains, not him). Henriksen, though, is especially magnificent, even outdoing Ian Holm's Ash from "Alien".
Folks, I could go on about Cameron, Weaver, the action, and all that, but if there is one thing I could consider to be the greatest aspect of the film, it would have to be the Alien Queen. H.R. Giger's stunning design for the regular alien is amazing enough, but the Queen is greater than anything else. With a giant crown shaped fin atop her head and a tail that cuts like a blade, she's the perfect match for Ripley, and the fight between the two at the end is unforgettable (Ripley's got a little more machinery though...along with a few words).
"Well that's just f****** great!" says Hudson, and it's true. "Aliens" is one of the most thrilling movies ever put on print, and in the annals of science fiction, action, and horror, it is hardly equaled. If truth be told, you may end up watching it several times, and with the new quadrilogy coming this December you may want to visit Santa again. But there's no reason to wait till then. In fact, I think I'll go watch it right now...
By : Marshall Garvey
Source: rec.art.movies.reviews newsgroup
Rating: 0
Aliens represents a true rarity among movies, a sequel that not only equals or even surpasses the original, but also one that stands alone as work unto itself. You could see this movie without knowing the first ever existed. Knowing the original allows you to enjoy the sequel on other layers of course.
Weaver plays Ripley, the sole survivor of a mining ship whose crew was wiped out by a previous unknown creature. After killing the creature, she climbed into a lifeboat and put herself into suspended animation. She stayed that way, drifting through space, for 57 years until she was found. Her story is discredited, however, and she is forced into menial jobs. However, a colony has been established on the planet where Ripley's ship found the original alien and now contact has been lost with that colony. Ripley is invited to accompany a platoon of Marines to the planet to investigate. At first, Ripley resists, but the need to purge herself of the nightmares that have been plaguing her sleep impels her to confront her fears.
The gung-ho Marines arrive to find the colony deserted, with signs of desperate fighting all around. They also find carcasses of alien "face-huggers," which plant the seed of the adult alien into human hosts, and one lone survivor, a little girl named Newt. An attempt to locate and rescue the other colonists, however, leads most of the Marines into an alien ambush and most of the platoon is wiped out. The few remaining survivors have to desperately fight off hundreds of aliens while searching for a way off the planet.
Aliens is less of horror story, like the original, than a straight-forward action story, and on that level it succeeds as well, if not better than Alien did as a horror movie. It represents the peak of James Cameron's career so far, creatively speaking. Those who only know Cameron through Titanic might be surprised to note that yes, he really can write, and he can also bring in a film for only $17 million, on time and under budget.
For a film released in 1986, it was certainly not the norm to have a female lead anchoring a science-fiction action film. It's not even common enough today. That's what makes Sigourney Weaver's performance so striking. She can bring off a female action role without ever calling undo attention to the fact that she is a woman. Lesser filmmakers would have felt it necessary to pepper the film with self-conscious feminist rhetoric and lesser actress might have played it self-consciously butch.
That wouldn't have worked in this film. Aliens is, among all the macho posturing of the marines, the high-tech weapons and furious gunplay, ultimately a film about motherhood. For those of you who have only seen the theatrical release, I point you to the Special Edition, now available on VHS and DVD. It contains several scenes deleted from the original release to shorten the running time. The most critical of these is early in the film, before the inquest, when Ripley finds out that her daughter died of old age two years earlier. This loss and sense of failure drives the maternal interest that Ripley takes in the newly orphaned Newt, and this sense of responsibility leads, I think, to Ripley going from a shell-shocked basket-case at the beginning of the film to the rock on which all the other characters wind up leaning.
The motherhood arc extends to the aliens too, when Ripley winds up face to face with the alien queen, another mother who is now super-pissed at Ripley for torching her nest. This film reminds us that, although women might be referred to as "the weaker sex," in much of nature, the female is the more dangerous and ferocious gender because she is charged with the protection of the young.
If you've never watched any of the Alien films, I recommend this one. It's far less gory than the first and far superior to the third and fourth.
