Aliens

Year: 1986
Directed By: James Cameron
Written By: James Cameron and David Giler

RYAN’S REVIEW

Now this is a badass Aliens movie, the best of them all, a sequel that spawned a franchise. This movie has lived on in the past 25 years.  With scenes popping up in DirectTV commercials, Troy and Abed dressed as Ripley and the Alien in a Halloween episode of Community, and it even has had a clear influence on the Halo franchise. The soldiers in the Halo games are taken directly from this film, the captain may even be voiced by the actual actor from this movie for all I know.  Aliens is what all sequels should be, a bigger and better version of the original. I have mentioned before that I think James Cameron is a badass and this movie is one of the reasons why.  He took a movie that was already cool and expanded the story to devastating proportions.  For anybody that thought that one alien was scary in 1979 must have been blown away when they saw what Cameron had cooked up.

This movie, like its predecessor won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, and Sigourney Weaver was actually nominated for Best Actress. In a genre dominated by the likes of Schwarzenegger and Stallone, Weaver did prove to be just as much a badass with this film.  This movie also has James Cameron regular Michael Beihn, I’ve said it before, I think he is awesome.  Lance Henriksen is great as the android Bishop, and Bill Paxton was appropriately cast as a whiny bitch. I don’t care for Paul Reiser but he too is appropriately cast, as a douche bag.  The cast was great in this movie and the story and execution of the film give this film the strength and longevity it has enjoyed over the last 25 years.  If you haven’t already seen this movie then it is a definite must see, more than worth your time.

AMBER’S REVIEW 

I liked this better than the original. It had more action, it was scarier and it tied into the first one. I think my favorite thing about this movie is how mad Ridley gets throughout the film. No one can say “goddamnit” like she can. Again, this isn’t one of those films that I like watching over and over, but it a really good film, how could it not be coming from Cameron? Definitely see this one, at least once.

NEXT MOVIE: Alien 3 (1992)