You can have your T2s and your Titanics. As far as I'm concerned, James Cameron will never make a movie better than Aliens. It's nearly a flawless movie, especially if you're a big fan of science fiction, action or horror movies. This is the only movie I've ever seen that melds these three genres together so effortlessly, and with such mind-blowingly entertaining results.
Disclaimer: The aliens don't show up until almost the second hour of the movie. I mention this not to deter people from seeing it, but as a request that they just sit tight and get into the plot. Although it helps immensely if you've seen the original Alien (another 5-star movie in a class by itself), it's not really required. Trust me, the 55 minutes you spend waiting is more than made up for in the second half of the movie. Aliens remains one of my favorite movies from the eighties and it easily earns a spot in my top 50 of all time. Why, you ask? Well the cast is wonderful, even down to the smallest soldier (see: alien food). The effects are staggering, the music is rousing, the creatures are creepy and just plain bad-ass, and the plot (at over 2 1/2 hours) moves quicker than any 90 minute movie.
Ellen Ripley (Weaver) has spent 57 years in hyper-sleep following her escape from the creature in the original film. After lots of psychological stress and nightmares, she decides to accompany a group of Marines into space to search the source of another possible alien attack. She is initially treated with disdain, as she's merely a civilian surrounded by a macho group of trained killers. All that changes once the aliens show up, since she's the only one who's tangled with them before. Suffice to say that lots of things blow up, many people are dragged screaming to their deaths, and the action doesn't stop for 30 minutes at a time.
It's ironic that some of the movies I love the most are the most difficult to recommend. Trying to put into words how I get goose bumps when the music starts blaring and Michael Biehn screams through the gore: "Marines! WE ARE LEAVING!" is pretty hard. Your favorite movies almost always hit you on a personal level, and that's sometimes tough to put into words. Suffice to say that I am confident that just about anyone will really enjoy this movie.
The alien attacks themselves are set pieces of true genius. When the Marines discover a little girl as the lone survivor of an attack, we are offered Ripley's mothering side, much to the delight of potentially bored wives and girlfriends everywhere. In fact, there was a subplot involving Ripley's (long-dead) daughter in the original script, but that subplot was tossed as I gather it made the "plot" stuff simply too long.
While it would still have been a great effects show anyway, Aliens really elevates itself by making the smaller characters real people. Bill Paxton's role as Hudson ("Game over, man! We're f***ed now, man!") is wonderful, and I get chills every time I see his final scene. Also excellent, as usual, is Lance Henriksen as the 'synthetic' Bishop. While it's impossible for a robot to offer emotion, his bravery and loyalty adds a nice touch. Michael Biehn gives one of his best performances to date as Lt. Hicks, who must take charge after all holy hell breaks loose. Also on hand as one of the slimiest corporate villains ever is Paul Reiser, who offers what is easily his best performance ever. (If you don't cheer when he gets his, you have no soul.)
Go rent this movie. Especially if you've never experienced it before, Aliens is just a true kick in the ass of a movie. The relentless action and shockingly slimy creatures will have you entranced. You'll thank me for ordering you to see it.
I especially recommend the DVD special edition, as it contains several cut scenes which explain some of the alien's creepy backstory.
See Aliens. Either you've seen it before and you'll love it more or you've never seen it and I feel just terrible for you. Rent Aliens. If you don't enjoy it, I'll personally come and return it to the video store for you.
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