Aliens (1986)

Sigh. I'm going to have to side with the masses on this one. Of all the movies in the franchise, this was just plain freaking fun to watch. It didn't add any new ideas to the sci-fi genre like the first one did. It just did what every person wanted to do after watching the first one. See those alien fuckers burn. Eventually.

What can you expect from a movie directed by James Cameron. Cameron = explosions, lots and lots of explosions.  What comes in even greater surprise, is that this sequel was done SEVEN years after the first movie. Seriously, Sigourney Weaver is an immortal. I am insanely jealous and in awe of her.

Ripley has been floating in space for a good amount of time. When she gets picked up, she finds that its been at least 60 years. She is astounded to find that a colony has been growing during the time she has been gone. Outraged, she finds that the big wigs don't believe her. Until they lose contact with the colony and then they want her help.She refuses until persuaded by a company man to go along as a consultant with "promises" to exterminate them. Armed with a rag tag  group of armed marines, they soar off. When they arrive, they find a deserted colony with one lone survivor, a little girl. And on top of that, there is not just one alien, there are a whole bus load of aliens. Oh, and they're stranded. Shiiiiiiit.


Not only is survival the goal of the game but there's a a great growth of maternal connections between Ripley and Newt ( the rescued child). During the time that Ripley was in space, she had lost her own daughter to old age. The scene where she finds out her own daughter died as an old woman struck me. The pain on Ripleys face was so strong that I teared up a bit. What even impresses me even more is the parallel connection betwen Ripley and the Queen. Both are strong female representatives of their kinds. Both are dead set to protect their brood. Both are equally strong. That is some serious conflict!

There were so many teeth biting moments. The part where Ripley and Newt are stuck in the med lab with the face huggers?! Ugh! I was scrambling to tuck my legs in. The part where they're walking through the nest? Ewww.. The whole chase scene through the plant and then the final stand off? Wow!!! The gun turrets running out? Ahhh!! Run!!!!

My absolute favorite part of the movie was seeing the Queen. Oh my gosh she was so bad ass. I didn't realize that Starcraft was based on Aliens. I could definitely see where Zerg was inspired from (Zergs are awesome and can kick anyone's ass!!!). This was a beautiful piece of animatronic art. It was designed mainly by Cameron and I bow down to his visual creativeness.

The marines were so weak for me. Just a bunch of loud talking military muscle who freak at the first sign of unknown factors. The clearest distinction between the groups was when the group watches the ship crash, it is only Ripley and Newt who calmly stands to survey their next movie. For some reason, the hispanic marine female irked the bejeesus out of me. So irritating. And I seriously wanted to kill Hudson.


On a random side note, I couldn't help but mentally compare Aliens to the "Water of Mars" episode in Doctor Who. I wonder if Russel T. Davies was influenced by Aliens?

Someone posted up a great thought on one of the boards. The distinct possibility of the aliens all being DNA related to Newt. Twisted.