Aliens (1986)

 

Genre: Sci-Fi/ Action

Time: 2h 17mins

Director: James Cameron

Quick Summary: Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.

I don't say this often at all, but somehow, they made a sequel that stands on the same ground as the original. 

Essentially this is everything in the previous film but amplified. It does change route ever so slightly by being more action-focused but I am not complaining at all. 

Ripley is much more fully developed in this film, I adored her in the last and loved her even more in this. The definition of a badass who just gets cooler throughout the film as she continues her powerful presence. I personally really liked that they gave her a maternal arc with the introduction of Newt, who I found hilarious and adorable. Any time she spoke she was throwing out some sort of shade. She and Ripley work wonderfully together and their arc together is so sweet with an added touch of tenderness to the story.

The Aliens are just "More" in this. More of them. More terrifying. More brutal. We don't see any aliens for over an hour, but once we do, it's a huge payoff. Plus they look even cooler with their design being enhanced. The supporting cast is equally good, with a multitude of different characters ranging from funny to weird and bringing something extra to the movie's unique atmosphere. I honestly have no complaints for any of them as I feel like they were all pretty well developed. 

These set pieces are completely seamless throughout the movie. Strange, gloomy, dark, eerie. It all amplifies the tension in the atmosphere so well. I did really like how much tighter they made things in this one, even getting to the point of running through Vent ducts. The combat scenes with the aliens are intense and frightening.

The story is extremely well written. Every single thing that is put in front of us serves a purpose later in the film. There are even various nods to the previous film that most fans will enjoy. The ending is pretty much perfect to me, an explosion of action with an all-out final battle. I was not bored for a single second.

Like the first, this isn't really dialogue focused but I noticed the dialogue was full of jabs and moments of poking fun at various other characters. Made for some more lighter moments which never got in the way of the action.

If you loved the first one, you'll adore this one too. 

10/10

"Newt: My mommy always said there were no monsters - no real ones - but there are.

Ripley: Yes, there are, aren't there?

Newt: Why do they tell little kids that?

Ripley: Most of the time it's true."

"We're on an express elevator to hell, going down!"

"Private Hudson: Man, this floor is freezing.

Sergeant Apone: What do you want me to do, fetch your slippers for you?

Private Hudson: Gee, would you, sir? I'd like that."

"Ripley: [referring to the doll] Look, no bad dreams there.

Newt: Ripley, she doesn't have bad dreams because she's just a piece of plastic."