So onto part 2, with Aliens, James Cameron's much anticipated sequel, which scored massively at the box office, and while not in the same league as the original, is still a worthy addition.
To start with a summary of the plot, the film kicks off, many years after the events (57 to be precise) of the first film, with Ripley's shuttle, drifting aimlessly through deep space, which a salvage team eventually find, who board the ship and take Ripley to a space station. Ripley now, the only survivor of the Nostromo, has to explain her actions to a company commitee who suspend her flight licence as a consequence of her destroying the Nostromo in order to try and kill the alien. Ripley herself, still suffering from post traumatic stress, has nightmares from her harrowing ordeal on the Nostromo. However, one of the company execs, also informs Ripley that on the alien planet, now named LV-426, now has colonies of family living there, which has now been made habitable through the implementation of air processing stations.
Ripley herself is horrified at this revelation, and pretty soon after, one of the company execs, Burke (Paul Reiser) visits Ripley and tells her that they have lost contact with the colony, and that they want her to go with a team of marines, as an advisor to help them know what they are up against. Ripley eventually agrees reluctantly to go with the marines, accompanied by Burke to the planet. Some of the crew include, the hardened veteran Sgt Apone (Al Matthews), the down to earth Corporal Hicks (Michael Biehn), the cocky Hudson (Bill Paxton), the helpful and cool headed android Bishop (Lance Henriksen) and the gutsy and muscly female Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein).
On arriving at the planet, they find one of the colonies to be deserted, with alot of interior damage and acid burns found on the floor decks, however they do find one young girl, Newt (Carrie Henn) who has been left traumatised, as her family were killed by the aliens. Hudson eventually manages to track the location of the colonists, at an atmosphere processing station, on arriving, the marines to their horror find some of the colonists have been cocooned by the aliens, and pretty soon the aliens themselves emerge and attack and kill most of the marines. Ripley soon drives the reinforced military vehicle to rescue the remaining marines, and from there they decide on their plan of action what to do. On trying to hail the APC, their dropship, an alien infiltrates the ship and kills the flight crew, thereby destroying the ship. Now stranded on LV-426, Ripley and the remaining crew, have to fight for their survival against a hoard of aliens, and find a way to escape the planet.
Aliens, while certainly not as big a classic as Alien, does actually have alot going for it, mainly Sigourney Weaver's superb performance as Ripley. Ripley in this film, after the events of the first film, decides to go back and face her fears on the alien planet, and the aliens themselves almost at times seem to fear Ripley herself, as if she is their biggest threat (which she is). Ripley also is the strongest and toughest character in the film as well, as after the alien attack on the marines, she takes control of the situation. And Sigourney provides just the right amount of bravery, vulnerability, and stubborness.
The film's other characters are also quite memorable, particularly Hudson, who is actually quite annoying in the film, and he is so cocky in the first half, but after the alien attack, he becomes quite cowardly and scared of the alien threat. Bishop is also a good character, as after Alien, Ripley has developed a mistrust of androids, and its a nice touch, toward the end when we think Bishop has abandoned Ripley, by leaving in the dropship, with the cooling station about to blow, that he comes back for her. Hicks, while not the strongest character in the film, does provide a strong, down to earth quality, much needed for the man remaining in command, and in the director's cut, is it hinted that he is attracted to Ripley, although that is mostly cut out from the theatrical release. Burke is another good character, as he is a sleazy executive, who accompanies the marines to the planet, only really to protect the companies best interests, as the company still wants an alien specimen brought back. Although I have to say one of the film's biggest flaws is why the hell would anyone want to live on a barren shithole such as LV-426 anyway???! As its hardly the prettiest of planets is it???? Brutal winds, lovely atmosphere, scenic barren wastelands, oh yeah, families want to live there for sure!! It also shows just how far the company will go to endanger so many innocent people, by letting them live on such a dangerous, creature infested planet.
But the film does have some cringeworthy dialogue as well, as the marines provide so many cheesy moments, and the whole hoo-rahhh, gung-ho mentality of the marines is almost embarrassing to watch at times. One particularly cringeworthy scene is where Hudson shows off to Ripley at what high-tech weaponary they have "high particle beam phalanx!! Whoahh!! Fry up city with this puppy!". Also Newt, while naturally just a little girl and you would expect to say some pretty child-like things gives another cringing line when Ripley jokes with her about her doll, Casey, having bad dreams, "Ripley, Casey doesn't have bad dreams, because she is just a piece of plastic". Nonetheless the film does have some memorable and funny lines too, such as when Ripley angrily knocks a tray of cornbread out of Bishop's hand, to which one of the marines quips "I guess she don't like the cornbread either!". And Hudson mocks Vasquez for her muscly physique, "hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?" to which Vasquez replies "Nope, have you??". We also can't forget other classics such as Ripley when she faces off the queen alien near the end who is about to kill Newt "Get away from her you bitch!!", and Hudson's "That's it, man, game over, man! Gamer over!!".
The set design again, model effects creature effects, are all terrific, and James Cameron effectively brings the barren alien planet to life once more. James Horner score is also pretty good, and brings the menace and fear to the fore, especially in the main Aliens theme, and the memorable titles, where the word A L I E N S slowly appears. Stan Winston also contributed a great deal to the special creature make-up for the aliens, and deserves much credit for enhancing the design of the aliens, and this time, we have not just one guy in a suit, we have six!
And quickly a word about James Cameron's direction as despite a few of the film's already mentioned shortcomings, he does a terrific job at building up the tension throughout, especially as its quite a long long build up to the first attack, and keeps it going. I also don't think there was another director out there that could have pulled off such a feat as bringing a worthy sequel to a great original, even if it doesn't scale the same heights. Cameron also did incredibly well in producing such a film, under great pressure from a cynical British crew, who at the time slagged off Cameron, for his inexperience and work ethic, as the film at the time was made at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. This was also similar to what George Lucas endured while making the orignal Star Wars.
Rrrrright so that's my critique of Aliens, its a fine sequel, worthy movie, and if you haven't seen it, give it a try, I can't guarantee its for everyone, but it definitely worth a go, if you are after a few frights and thrills an that.
Cue part 3.....
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