Thursday, January 2, 2025
Aliens – James Cameron – 1986
I watch many movies because they will be discussed on a podcast that I will be listening to in the future. In this case, I am listening to the delightfully funny podcast, “Blank Check”. I highly recommend it. If you are not listening to it, please start. Just a little about “Blank Check”, they podcast about filmmakers and the films they create with a “Blank Check” given to them from Hollywood. These filmmakers get to do whatever they want, because of previous success. This mini-series happens to be about James Cameron, and they will be discussing his third film, Aliens.
In anticipation of listening to the podcast, I decided to rewatch Aliens.
Film Specifics
Aliens was released in the US on July 18, 1986. Aliens is a sequel to the very popular film, Alien from 1979. It was the third directorial effort from James Cameron, who also wrote the screenplay. It was produced by Gale Anne Hurd, one of Cameron’s many ex-wives. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1986.
Synopsis
Aliens starts where Alien leaves off. Ripley is floating in space, asleep in her pod. She is rescued by salvagers, along with her cat.
While recovering in a space station, she is approached by Carter Burke, played by Paul Riser. Burke tells Ripley she has been floating in space for over 50 years!
Ripley tells the corporate people in charge her harrowing story, which they don’t take very seriously. They are disappointed she destroyed a ship and cargo worth millions, with no care about the human lives that were lost.
Ripley is then recruited to help rescue a group of settlers trying to terraform the planet where Ripley and company first encountered the xenomorph.
The action really starts to ramp up once the military grunts have their boots on the planet and they start to encounter the xenomorphs for themselves. And yeah, there is a cute little girl hiding and surviving, so there’s that.
The Re-Watch
I’ve seen this film many, many times. It is a favorite in my family, not only with my parents, but with my son as well. I watched this in my living room using my Fandango app on my Roku. I own not only this film, but a total of four Alien films.
I found this watch to be just as entertaining as all the other times I have watched this film. Sigorney Weaver’s portrayal of Ripley is badass. Paul Reiser’s corporate honcho is annoyingly realistic. Bill Paxton’s soldier is super fun.
It’s fun to watch these Cameron movies and see all of the actors he brings back time and time again. Paxton was killed in Terminator by Arnold. Now we see him in Aliens, first as a blowhard, then as a simpering, and scared victim. But who wouldn’t be scared! The Xenomorph is a very frightening monster.
Lance Henriksen appeared in Cameron’s first film, Piranha 2, and here he is as Bishop, the android who helps save the day. Michael Biehn was in Terminator where he helps Linda Hamilton escape death. In Aliens, he plays another man who helps the strong female protagonist against overwhelming odds.
Interestingly, we really don’t see the Xenomorph until about an hour into the film. The suspense Cameron builds makes the viewer anticipate the monster at every turn.
The visuals are stunning and the camera work is great.
Rating
9/10 – Awesome rewatch. More aliens than the original, an alien queen, a scrappy little kid, and a tough female protagonist makes this a classic rewatchable film.
Michele's Movie Diary 