“Did IQs just drop sharply while I was away?”

I will forever be team Alien over Aliens, which is absolutely crazy to say because Aliens is still one of my favorite movies of all time. I just slightly prefer the more slow-burning dread build-up that the original film had over the more action-oriented and fast-paced speed that this one has, though for that reason, I totally see people liking this one a lot more than the original, which was definitely the case with the friends I watched it with this time. It is far from being “rushed” in terms of pacing, because it still definitely takes its time, but Aliens has always felt like a shorter movie to me than the original, even though it’s like twenty minutes longer. It’s also worth mentioning that this is my favorite James Cameron film.

I think what Aliens actually does a little bit better than the first movie is the opening. It starts off with Ripley waking up from hypersleep after being found by a recovery team, only to find out that she’s been asleep for fifty-seven years. What a clever twist to open the film with (which isn’t a spoiler by the way, as it’s the actual premise of the movie). It’s one that hooks you right away and gets you to know what’s going on kind of right out of the gate, unlike the original, which started off a lot more slowly and subtly started to get into the plot. The plot itself is also remarkably intriguing, as we see Ripley and a group of these newly called Colonial Marines, a more elite military branch, and a branch far more capable than any before it, going back to LV-426, the original planet the alien was found on in the first film, after losing contact with the colony that was living there.

That’s all I can really say without spoilers, but let me tell you, the plot of Aliens is not only interesting on its own, but a brilliant way to follow up the first movie. It’s a completely new take on the concept, being far more action-oriented with even a little bit more comedic relief in there, but it still absolutely maintains that horror tone and feel that the first one had. It’s campy, but never too much so that it gets in the way of the actual “horror.” It introduces new ideas throughout that brilliantly add to the lore of the would-be franchise, and add depth to the character of Ripley, who didn’t have a ton of depth until towards the end in Ridley Scott’s original.

Ripley gets a lot more character development, and you simply just understand her a lot more than you did before. A lot of this has to do with our new character, a little girl who goes by the name of Newt, who adds an extremely compelling “motherly sense” to Ripley. I haven’t seen the director’s cut, which I absolutely need to, but I know they add a lot more onto this there. Her care for Newt simply makes her a lot more compelling like I said, as she did come off as a little more selfish in the original, though not overly so.

I know this is a bit debated on whether or not this is strictly an action movie or also a horror movie, but I would absolutely argue that it is also a horror movie, maybe even more so than an action movie. This is because it never loses sight of the tension, haunting imagery, or thrills of the original. In fact, it’s even more thrilling than the original. Alien is more of a film that makes you nervous and on the edge of your seat, while Aliens is stocked full of heart-pounding scenes that never let up when they aren’t supposed to.  “I don’t know, man, but they’re in here!”

One incredible aspect of Aliens that really isn’t a common thing for most movies is how well done the sound design is. I’m not necessarily talking about a “theater experience” type of sound, where everything is like Dolby Atmos or anything, but rather the way sound is used in the film to add to the tension and dread of everything going on. The standout to me, and the most iconic one, is the use of the trackers. The pulsing sounds they make during the most intense scenes of the movie only make the movie even more intense, and I don’t know who came up with the idea to do that, but whoever did, props to you. It’s absolutely brilliant, and the most iconic ways of using sound to elevate a film that I’ve ever come across.

Just like the original, the visual effects absolutely still hold up almost perfectly to this day. The only difference is that Aliens goes for a lot more than Alien. You can tell that with both the bigger budget and the brilliance of James Cameron’s directing, they were really able to pull off a much bigger and grandscale look to the film, which was obviously necessary because of the story. As hinted at in the title, there isn’t just one xenomorph to handle anymore, but instead several. We also get a lot more of how they move here, as the one in the first movie was definitely more behind the curtain for the majority of the runtime. The way they move could quite honestly be a victim of the restraints of the time, but it is terrifying nonetheless. I would talk about the other stuff regarding the practical effects, but a lot of it also applies to the first movie so I won’t waste time talking about them here.

The story all leads up to an absolutely wonderful third act and climax. The thrills are at their absolute maximum, as time is on the line. While it’s definitely derivative of the first movie, which was definitely a risky move on James Cameron’s writing, it somehow works. It repeats a lot of the same beats, but the stakes, while not necessarily higher, are a lot more different and more character-oriented, which I definitely appreciate. I’m glad they didn’t just simply do a rehash, but actually did add something new to it even if it is still very similar.

The only thing that I think holds this one back from me liking it as much as Ridley Scott’s first film is the characters. There are a few I absolutely love, and they have a lot more depth than any of the characters from the first movie, but also a lot of them are a bit over-the-top and pretty silly. I like Bill Paxton, but a few others, especially Vasquez, I think are a little bit obnoxious, and I could definitely have done without.

Other than that though, I still absolutely love this film even on my fourth visit, and it’s definitely a worthy follow up, so much so that it belongs in my list of favorites.