Aliens (1986)

Director: James Cameron
Story: James Cameron
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
Music: James Horner
Time: 137 minutes
Bottom-line: Science, drama, horror... Aliens has it all! 

Following the success of The Terminator, Cameron returns to film-making two years later, with this blockbuster. Aliens is the sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien, but this film comes with less gore, more action, more visual effects and the typical James Cameron melodrama
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There are some places in the universe you don’t go alone...
After 57 years in statis, Ellen Ripley (Weaver) is discovered by the crew of Weyland-Yutani Corporation, and is debriefed about the destruction of her ship. They refuse to believe her when she says that an Alien killed her crew and destroyed her ship (plot of the 1979 film). The exomoon where Ripley’s ship encountered alien eggs is now occupied by 60-70 families – the terraforming colony. When contact with them is suddenly lost, Ripley is asked to be a guide as the marines investigate the matter. Though initially refraining to do so because of her traumatic experience, she reluctantly agrees. But soon the mission brings forth innumerable complications, and one idea becomes clear: this time, it’s war...

Weaver as Ripley (left) and
Henn as Newt

Aliens is one of those sequels that fare better than the prequels in film franchises (of course, the rest of the Alien films in the franchise were major failures!). The film emphasises more on human emotions and connections – portrayed through the relationship between Ripley and Newt, who is a traumatized young female survivor. In fact, this mother-daughter-like relationship is the basis for the dramatic climax, constructed in typical Cameron style. The film starts by introducing the crew members, then letting the audience get acquainted with the aliens before the actual “war”.

Paul Reiser as Burke (middle), Biehn as
Hicks (2nd from right), Paxton as
Hudson (rightmost) 

Throughout the story the special effects and the cinematography are terrific, and these of course became trademarks of Cameron films in the years to come (five of his seven major directorial films have won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects). The settings, including the gargantuan spaceships and the machinery were exciting to watch. Be prepared to deal with visuals of really heinous and grotesque creatures Cameron calls “aliens”, because so perfect is the CGI that these images will creep you out any day!

Sigourney Weaver’s role as Ellen Ripley is widely considered to be her magnum opus. The nomination for the Academy Award was a big event then because it was perhaps the first time a lead character in a science fiction movie was nominated. Displaying strong willpower to survive and to protect those around her, this female hero could well be one of the most powerful heroes in cinema history. The other actors shown predominantly on screen are Michael Biehn – who plays the supportive partner of Ripley – Bill Paxton – who plays the apprehensive and agitated marine – and Carrie Henn as Newt.

With a good mix of action, science and drama in its story, boosted by committed performances by Weaver and the supporting cast, Cameron’s Aliens may not be his most remembered film, and it may not have as strong an impact as Ridley Scott’s prequel, but it does have its own strengths, which make it a sci-fi thriller worth watching!

My Rating: 3.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%