Probably, from this begin to write about “Aliens” all, but not to mention it can not – the second part is shot in a completely different genre, representing a militant instead of atmospheric horror. Which is pretty good.
Lieutenant Ripley was in suspended animation for more than fifty years until she was picked up and defrosted by Weyland-Yutani. No one believes her stories about the Alien (LV-426, where alien eggs were found, a colony of earthlings has been successfully developing for many years), she is considered crazy, her pilot’s license is taken away. All her friends, acquaintances and relatives have long been dead or decrepit old people. Suddenly, communication with LV-426 is lost. Ripley, after a brief hesitation, agrees to go there with a detachment of Marines, as a consultant.
In terms of the atmosphere, "Aliens" if they lose to the first film, then quite a bit. The feeling of an incomprehensible cosmic mystery, a monstrous discovery, has disappeared. But the ominous desolation of the gloomy LV-426 is still terrifying. The masters of scenery and special effects managed to convince the audience that in front of them – recently unsuitable for human life, almost empty and lifeless planet, on which, in addition, something terrible happened. Moreover, if in the “Alien”, when the “meat” went, there was no trace of the atmosphere, then the alarming desolation of the corridors of the colony on the LV-426 does not let go after viewing. Although the action in the second film will be much more.
However, the aliens here almost turned into cannon fodder. If not for some unforeseen circumstances, and even if more Marines were sent, the film, I am afraid, would be short and boring. In light of this, it is somewhat disappointing that xenomorphs are still shown casually and in the dark. In the first film, this allowed to whip up fear of an unknown enemy - but in the dynamic action movie, which is the second film, I would still like to see monsters better. Moreover, at the end of the viewer is waiting for someone more interesting than the old familiar xenomorph-warrior. But, either, fearing that special effects will fail, or not wanting to dispel the mystery of the image of the Alien, Cameron stubbornly hides monsters from the viewer.
By the way, it remains unclear, why are these corporations aliens? They are not so invincible, and a good army would leave nothing of their nest if even a disoriented and almost demoralized platoon of Marines fought very effectively. But the coolness with which the bosses of Weyland-Yutani send people to certain death is the most terrifying and, unfortunately, the most realistic detail of the picture.
In “Aliens” for the first time there is a theme of symbolic motherhood, which passes through all subsequent paintings of the series. Here is a confrontation between two mothers protecting their offspring, Ripley and the Alien Queen. Cameron set the task to prove to the viewer that human resourcefulness and the will to win is much more important and stronger than claws and poison - and Sigourney Weaver did this task perfectly.
I advise you to watch the director's version: in the theater, traditionally, episodes in which too much is said went under the knife, as a result of which the viewer does not understand the motives of Ripley's behavior and the seriousness of the psychological trauma she received.
Summary: a dark fantastic action movie with a unique atmosphere of an abandoned colony on a distant planet. Now it is clear that humanity can give a worthy rebuff to xenomorphs. If it doesn’t bother you...
9 out of 10
Original