Aliens update

 

Aliens 1986

Update 5 February 2021

• Director: James Cameron
• Seen by this director: Avatar, Titanic, Terminator 1&2
• Based on book: no
• Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor/actress in:
• Sigourney Weaver: Chappie, Paul, Snow Cake, Be Kind Rewind, Avatar, Holes, Galaxy Quest, Working Girl, Dave, Death and the Maiden, The Ice Storm, A Map of the World, Holes, Gorillas in the Mist, The Year of Living Dangerously, the other Alien films.
• Michael Biehn – The Rock, Hill Street Blues, The Terminator
• Bill Paxton – Edge of Tomorrow, A Simple Plan, Titanic, Terminator, Streets of Fire
• Why bought: classic sci fi, recommended by friend ÖB.
• Seen: once – September 14, 2012 now again 5 February 2021 

Well, that was exciting. Lots of flamethrowers and super machine guns and yucky monsters. In other words, more of the same. Not nearly as creepy as the first Alien movie because now we know what kind of critters these aliens are but of course adding a kid makes the suspense more acute.  The little girl Newt (Henn) is a toughie but it’s hard to believe that she can really recover psychologically from all the horrible things that happen to her. Nevertheless, I thought her shrill screaming got to be a little tiresome.  I’m also allergic to the extremely obnoxiously macho marines, both male and female, and couldn’t help but feel a little satisfaction as one after another they were proven less indestructible than they thought they were.  Not anywhere as likeable a crew as in the first film.  Although the fake human Bishop (Henriksen) was much nicer than nasty Ian Holm.

One more complaint. Unless I really got mixed up studying Physics 1 at university, I learned that if you open the door of your spaceship, hanging on tight really doesn’t help much.

But did I sit clutching the arms of my chair throughout the whole film? Oh yes. It’s exciting enough to curl your toes. 

 

3 * of 5.

 

Update 2021: Yes, the complaints still stand but maybe because I knew about them from the first time, I liked the film more. It’s promoted to 4* of 5, Hal even says 5* (I won’t go that far).