Aliens
Ellen Ripley is found in hyper-sleep – 57 years after the attack on Nostromo. She discovers that the origin alien planet LV-426 has now been “terraformed” – with humans living there.
As she has been awoken, Weyland-Yutani Corporation who run the terraform have lost contact with their crew on LV-426 and send a team of mercenaries to find out what is happening.
Ripley, and WYC executive Burke head down too, to see what is occurring in advisory capacities. Could there be another alien attack?
Direction
Brilliant direction by James Cameron, who gives us the perfect blend of action and horror.
I loved the armored car sequences and the final fight between Ripley in the exo-suit and the Xenomorph. Some of the graphics are a little aged, but this is nearly 40 years old.
Cast/Characters
Sigourney Weaver is the sole returning cast member from the original film. She is joined by;
Carrie Henn plays Newt, the young girl who has survived on the planet so far. Newt brings both humanity and innocence to the film.
Michael Biehn as Corporal Hicks, the no nonsense second in command to the crew – who the crew all love and respect.
Paul Reiser plays Burke.
Lance Henriksen plays Bishop, the android in the crew. Ripley is
wary of him due to her experience with Ash in the previous film.
Bill Paxton plays Hudson one of the soldiers, who has great chemistry with Janette Goldstein as Vasquez, the no nonsense gutsy private.
William Hope as Lt Gorman, the inexperienced leader of the marines.
Breakdown
This film gets quite a lot right. The blend of action/horror is exceptionally well done. The score behind some of these scenes by the legendary James Horner is terrific.
This is only assisted by the ‘crew’ and the supporting cast. Reportedly the first scene we see them, is one of the final ones filmed – so the ‘familiarity’ they have with each other looked and felt organic. Such moments as the ‘have you ever been mistaken for a man’ joke between Vasquez and Hudson.
The first film had great characters, and this film does too – with equally – if not more engaging characters who we want to succeed (not Burke though… never Burke).
Newt, the young survivor who we are introduced at the beginning of the film, adds an aura of innocence and cuteness to what is a graphic and violent film (I sure hope she’s going to have a long and happy life going forward…).
There are so many well written and presented moments of tension (Newt’s introduction to the team, the machine guns running out of ammo, newt falling down the slide, the aliens in the roof and the vents sequence with Vasquez).
There is also a great villain reveal in Burke, who similarly to ash in the first film is only there in order to bring an embryo back to the lab – at the expense of Ripley or newt.
The final showdown where Ripley saves Newt, becomes the penultimate showdown, when she wears the exo-suit to get rid of the mother Xenomorph – and deliver the line of the film (get away from her you bitch!) Amazing!
With the ups, come “some” downs….
Isn’t it convenient that just as Ripley awakens from her hyper-sleep, things go wrong down on the planet…
and when Ripley opens the hatch to get rid of the Xenomorph, that’s not how vacuums work in space…
Overall
Despite some very minimal downs, this is hands down one of the best sequels to an original.
Top marks.
5/5