Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quick Reviews, 24 Jul 2006
James Cameron made his second masterpiece with this, the sequel to Ridley Scott's classic space horror show. Cameron, a director who will always ensure he gets exactly what he wants, extremely talented and ingenious, brought the series in a new direction, keeping much of the tension of the original, but upping the excitement and action.
After Ripley went into hyper-sleep at the end of Alien, hoping that someone would find her floating through space and pick her up, she travelled for over 50 years before being picked up by 'The Company'. She wakes up and tries to come to terms with all that has happened since she was asleep-her daughter grew up and died, 'The Company' has become more interested in the alien she claims to have encountered, and the planet where she found the alien has become a mining colony. During interrogation she tells the suits what happened to her, and expressed the need for someone to investigate the 'alien' planet. They charge her with the destruction of her previous ship. However, when they receive a distress call from the planet, a group of marines is ordered to investigate. Burke, a company Rep persuades Ripley to come along as she is the only one to have encountered an alien, and because her recurring nightmares are stopping her from living her life. We are introduced to each marine, all tough, hardened fighters, seemingly well-equipped for any danger.
Aliens must surely rank as one of the most exciting movies ever made. At well over 2 hours it is a testament to Cameron, the script-writers and the cast that the pace of the film never slows. Every time the characters think they may have a chance, something happens to make them think otherwise. Everything is giving the most acute detail, from the marines' garb, to the miniature sets and craft designs. The score is militaristic, keeping with the charge and feel of the movie, and the action is very strong and brilliantly edited. The aliens themselves are still terrifying, and The Queen is awesome. The famous power-loader fight scene is excellent, just one of the many highlights. The planet itself is grim and dark, the perfect place for the creatures to be, and the darkness and tight corridors of the colony add to the tension, atmosphere and claustrophobia.
There is a wide range of characters here, each distinct much like the first film. Even if we do not get to see them for very long, we are given a strong impression of their backgrounds because of their own personal dress and dialogue. Every performance is worthy of mention too, and Weaver's performance was definitely worthy of the Oscar. Ripley progresses here, becoming one of the strongest female characters in movie history, learning and adapting with the Marines, but retaining her maternal instincts and disgust for the company. In fact, the fight and chase involving the Queen, Ripley and Newt is almost like custody battle, a fight to see who is the best mother. Burke begins seeming friendly, but of course his interest is in bringing back a specimen. Bishop is a brilliant inclusion remembering Ripley's last encounter with a Droid. Hicks, played by Biehn is an excellent character, strong marine but not an emotionless, stupid grunt. Paxton steals many scenes as Hudson, spitting out some of the film's best dialogue, at times tough and terrified. Henn as Newt is a revelation in her first performance, dealing with the script and content perfectly. Vasquez must go down as one of the best cult action characters, equally as strong as any of the men, even if she has a short fuse. Goldstein is very good in the role. Apone as the 'Sarg' is also good, and Gorman begins as a fool but redeems himself later. The rest of the cast are all good, even if most are only their to be killed. With such a good cast, Aliens becomes even better.
This film cannot be praised enough. Although there are those who feel it is inferior to the first because it has more action and supposedly weaker characterisation, it has to be said that the two films are different entities, the first a horror, the second a sci-fi action. Like The Terminator, Cameron puts in many effective scares so that it transcends the genre, becoming something more. Cameron says he wants to return to Sci-Fi. Please make one as good as this.
This Double discer has everything an Alien fan would want and the presentation is perfect. Essential
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of my favourite films, 27 Nov 2008
I saw this at the cinema when it first came out.
I wasn't sure if I should because I really wasn't over fussed on the first, and to top it all off sequels are notorious for being bad, but this was and still is a great film. I admit the overriding reason I saw it was that I am a Michael Biehn and Bill Paxton fan.
I admit that I hadn't watched it for a couple of years, but decided to lift it out a couple of days ago and watch it. I wasn't sorry. Even after more than 20 years this is a great film, and in my opinion the best of the alien series.
The special edition version was one of the first of the 'directors cut' film releases. It sold so well that other films were produced with a 'directors cut' extended version too. The speical edition has an extra 17 minutes which doesn't sound much but is, in fact, a great deal. The missing scenes add to the story, and are included situ within the film rather than in an extras section of their own.
There are a number of extras including an interview with James Cameron, behind the scenes footage, etc.
The story is that Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the cat are rescued from the emergency pod that was left at the end of the first film. She has to face an enquiry over what happened to her crew and the vessel that they were in (it is the latter that appears to be the most important to the company).
Ripley is then approached by Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) and Lt Gorman (William Hope) to join them on a mission to the planet known as LV-426. She initially refuses but then agrees, and this is were we met the rest of the cast - the marines. The main marines for the film are Cpl Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn), Pvt Hudson (Bill Paxton), Pvt Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein), Pvt Drake (Mark Rolston), Sgt Apone (Al Matthews) and the "artifical person" Bishop (Lance Henriksen) - the entire group of actors who play the marines manage to pull off the feeling of a group that has been together for a while. Even the troops that we had only seen in passing are known to us because of the banter between the characters.
The film moves at a good pace after the initial and rapid story setting sequences. It's 148 minutes of outstanding film making. A true standard setting film.
This special edition does not contain a commentary for the film which is the only disappointment. Still an excellent film. Definitely a keeper.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stands the test of time superbly, 14 Jan 2003
Surely to be considered one of the greatest films of all time in the future, Aliens is a film all serious movie fans should own.
Before Cameron wimped out into sentimental dross like the Abyss and Titanic, films like this and the Terminator showed what a great director he can be.
Although Ripley is the star of the film, the relationship between the burly, but likeable Marines is the crux of the matter and you really do care when they start getting wiped out.
Although the Aliens themselves are merely men in rubber suits, they are totally believable and more realistic than any CGI creations that have ever appeared on the silver screen.
Everyone knows what this film is about, but the director's cut is extra special, even if some of the extra footage(Hudson listing the weapons available to Ripley on the drop ship) seem unecessary, others like the robotic sentry gun scenes are top notch and really add to the film.
If there is a gripe it's that there is not quite enough made of the DVD. It's high time someone really went to town on Aliens to really blow fans away with the extras. Here we have the trailer and cast biographies (not all the cast mind you), but there's scope for so much more.
That said, even if it were the film and nothing more it would still be an essential purchase.
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