Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Aliens’

8/11/2024

Written by Scott Edwards

Sigourney Weaver as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley in James Cameron’s ALIENS. (Photo Courtesy of 20th Century Studios.)

Being in hyper sleep for fifty-seven years, Ellen Ripley has awakened in a new time, but finds out that some things never change. As she is trying to get her life back on track, she is plagued by nightmares of what happened to her and her crew so many years ago. Not being able to do what she once did, Ripley has to find a way to stay busy as she tries to conform to her new surroundings. Being approached by Weyland-Yutani (The Company) representative Carter Burke, she finds out that there might be a way for her to get back to her previous life.

She discovers that the planet where her crew found the super predator is now inhabited by a terraforming colony. Being held accountable for her survival and destruction of the ship, Ripley has been made out to be a crazy person. Knowing the danger of what the planet actually houses, Ripley tries to convince the company that it is their best interest to have everyone removed, but nobody will listen to her. When communication from the planet stops however, the company has to call on Ripley and her specific expertise in dealing with the foreign threat.

Being bribed by the company to restore her past life, Ripley has to battle her inner demons and decides that since she is the only person alive to have witnessed this alien threat, she can save more lives by going. Being teamed up with a group of Colonel Marines that have enough fire power to take out a large settlement, Ripley still does not believe that it will be enough. Knowing what this threat can do, she tries to brief the marines on what to expect, but they are hesitant to give her much credence. With the promise that that company is looking to kill the beast rather than keep it for scientific purposes, she has to believe that they are telling the truth.

Arriving on the docile planet, the group finds that there appear to be no life forms moving about the complex. With it starting to be all too familiar for Ripley, she knows something far more sinister is at work here. Exploring the facility, the group finds a little girl that has survived the alien attack and have to trust she knows what she is doing, as she is the lone survivor in the colony. With barricades set up around the complex and sporadic power interruptions, the group is in for a bug hunt they never could have expected.

Aliens is my favorite of the four original Alien movies. As a follow up to the great original, Aliens brings more action to the screen than anyone could have imagined along with some great performances by Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen and Paul Reiser. Although my favorite character in this film is Carrie Henn who played Newt, and with all of the turmoil the character had been through, Carrie was able to make you believe that she was truly traumatized. Just all around a great movie that shows us human emotion at every turn, along with many creatures that for the most part, are not able to be destroyed without hurting their hunters.

This is definitely the best movie visually in the series, with special effects galore that still look great, even by today’s standards. This is one of those movies that stands the test of time, and it serves as a fine reminder that sometimes the universe will flex its muscles and remind humanity that it is not invincible. With enough action, plenty of suspense and a little bit of levity brought to you by Bill Paxton, this movie is one that can haunt your dreams for a lifetime, if you will let it, and this film reinforces the fact that this series is truly the finest combination of horror and science fiction to ever hit the silver screen. Stay Scared.

Watch ‘Aliens’

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