From Shane Conto

How do you follow-up a all-time horror/science fiction classic from a legendary filmmaker like Ridley Scott? First off, get another legendary filmmaker like James Cameron to get behind the camera. Next, channel that horror and science fiction elements but inject in action elements as well. Then…make it BIGGER. That is how you make an amazing sequel and that is how James Cameron made Aliens. 

How did this film evolve from Scott’s claustrophobic creature feature? Cameron was never going to do exactly what Scott did. That is not his sensibility but that is what makes Aliens work so well. The setting is still an isolated installation except this time they are not stuck on a ship in space. Cameron is able to leverage this large installation for plenty of great set pieces. But that feeling of being lost in space and horror doesn’t go away. Alien featured a group of blue collar workers in space and this time around we have a military squadron going toe-to-toe with the most dangerous entities in existence. The size is just completely different as well with going from one terrifying alien to hordes of them. On top of that, the queen being introduced was a genius with this giant Xenomorph. The production design is quite similar but the scale is bigger, more dynamic, and makes for a towering cinematic experience. 

What does Cameron do to make this film feel so endlessly watchable and iconic? Cameron has mastered a directorial approach that feels so lean, smooth, and energetic. The action is expertly done with impressive and dynamic camerawork and the action feels in camera. The leveraging of models and practical effect makes everything feel so authentic and impactful. The film might up the action but it still is able to find its scare along the way. This doesn’t feel like a horror film in the sense that Scott’s Alien does but there are plenty of thrills and shocking moments that keep that element thriving within this new construction. The more eerie and atmospheric score of Alien was replaced by an equally excellent and iconic score from James Horner that injected some serious bombast and triumph into the energy of the film. The visuals are striking with plenty of shadows, flames, and horrific creatures galore. 

But what makes Aliens feel more than just an awesome thrill ride of genre-bending? Sigourney Weaver is a big piece that sets this above. Her performance has depth and emotion in a way many heroines of action and horror do not. She even got nominated for an Oscar which is quite impressive. The thematic elements involving her connection to the young girl Newt brings so much depth to this story that is quite unexpected. The parallel to introducing the queen Xenomorph makes for a maternal clash (but featuring mech-exoskeletons…which is so cool). The parallels to Vietnam and guerilla warfare also adds some layers to the film as well. The inclusion of Bishop adds more depth and layers to the already rich artificial intelligence commentary from Alien as well. The stellar cast makes for such a great bunch of new characters that are so memorable and iconic. Michael Biehn had such a great stretch in the 80s and Hicks is a great hero this time around. Paul Reiser’s Burke is such a greedy corporate bastard and he plays this character to a tee. Lance Henriksen does so much to make Bishop a compelling character while messing with the audience and testing their trust in him. Bill Paxton is such a lovable idiot as Hudson with his energy and mania he brings to the film. 

Where do Aliens fit into the realm of sci-fi/action flicks? This is in the top tier along with Terminator 2: Judgement Day and The Matrix. This film does it all and Cameron shows why he is the king of blockbuster filmmaking. The technology put into the filmmaking allows this to be such a rich and engrossing cinematic experience. The cast, the scares, the thrills, the score, and the production/character design are just unmatched. This is such an iconic film and if you haven’t seen it… it is about time to do it. 

Aliens is streaming on Peacock.

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